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Year BookSeventh Session 2015

Size 14.8 X 21 cm

National Media CouncilNo: 129840

ISBN 978-9948-02-516-0 Prepared by Media Committee

Designed ByTarweej International MediaCopy Rights Reseved

Khalifa International Date Palm Award

P.O Box 3614 Abu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesTel.: +9712 3049999Fax: +9712 3049990www.kiaai.ae info@kiaai.ae

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They used to say that: Agriculture has no future, but with thanks to God and our determination we succeeded in turning the desert into a green land.

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The late SheikhZayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan

(May God Bless His Soul)

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Today we stress to pursue the same approach and give our support to complete the institutional and legislative bodies and consolidate the government and people efforts to preserve and protect environment and wildlife.

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H.H. SheikhKhalifa Bin Zayed Al NahyanPresident of the United Arab Emirates

Founder and Patron of the Award(God protects Him)

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The genius of the Late Sheikh Zayed in the field of agriculture lie in challenging the impossible, this gives a leading example to follow and to believe that there is no barrier against achieving our all dreams for a better future.

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H.H. SheikhMohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi andDeputy Supreme Commander of

the UAE Armed Forces

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The patronage of H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President’s (God protects Him), to Khalifa International Date Palm Award has granted it excellence and leadership to reach a global prestige as the first specialized scientific award for date palm sector worldwide.

We are proud of this award, which contributed constructively and actively in the development of the date palm sector on a global level, and has become a bright event in the Emirates track record of achievements in all international forums. The award highlighted the civilization of the UAE, and is actually playing a constructive role in improving Date Palm cultivation as a part of our prestigious heritage and our bright present.

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H.H. SheikhMansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Deputy Prime MinisterMinister of Presidential Affairs

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We express today our deep gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President (God protects Him) for his wise decision to establish this Award and his strong support for it and his keen interest to encourage all efforts aimed at the continued improvement of date palm cultivation and the enhancement of its processing and even place UAE to be a leading center for research, development and production and all what is related to this fruitful and blessed tree.

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H.H. SheikhNahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan

Minister of Cultureand Knowledge Development

President of the Award’s Board of Trustees

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“KHALIFA INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR DATE PALM AND AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION…”

HONORABLE PATRONAGE AND BRIGHTER FUTURE…We are glad that this book is published with the launch of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, complementing thereby the success and leadership career of Khalifa International Date Palm Award over seven years, during which the Award achieved a lot of accomplishments and gains and effectively and largely influenced date palm sector, in particular, and the agricultural sector, in general, at both Arab and international levels. With an outlook vision, the Award has managed to distinctively highlight this important sector and to draw a brighter future for the blessed tree commensurate with its nutritional, economic and heritage significance.

The numerous successes and characteristic imprint the Award has left over those years, and of which we feel proud, were thanks to the great support and kind patronage of H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (God protects Him). The Award has been honored by bearing His Highness’ name and by having his patronage to realize such a prestige and leadership. His Highness’ honor of establishing “Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation” has further emphasized the keenness and attention he has rendered to date palm tree and agricultural innovation towards ensuring a better future for this sector which consists of the corner stone of the global food security.

The attention and support of H.H. Sheikh Mohamad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Higher Commander of the Armed Forces, have also had a great effect on the Award’s achievement of unique and quality accomplishments in addition to the support and follow-up of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, who rendered the Award special attention and constant and

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industrious follow-up. The Award has been keen to translate the constructive visions and ideas of His Highness to achieve widespread and gain attention at the most important Arab and international forums. Moreover; the attention and follow-up of H.H Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development and President of the Board of Trustees of the Award, have largely influenced the gains and successes the Award has achieved at all levels.

With the Award’s achievements over those years and the new launch of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, we are confident that the future is lovelier and that the Award would dramatically affect the agricultural scene by its comprehensiveness and distinctive support and sponsorship of all the activities and events related to date palm sector and agricultural innovation. We are confident and hopeful that the award would maintain leadership and brilliance and would receive the attention and participation of the most important international institutions and organizations as well as influential personalities, including experts, scientists, growers and academics. Within its steady and purposeful methodology, which honestly translates the visions and attention of H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (God protects Him), the Award would add extra achievements to the Emirates golden record at the most important platforms and forums and highlight His Highness’ attention and keenness to develop the date palm sector and agricultural innovation.

This book monitors and documents the activities, events and programs where the Award took part and provided sponsorship and support at the local, Arab and international levels during the past season. The book consists the fruitful harvest of concreted efforts and investment of ideas, science and technology for serving the agricultural sector, in general, and emphasizes that Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation would steadily and confidently proceed forward to achieve leadership and excellence and to draw the outline of a yet brighter future for the date palm sector and agricultural innovation within an approach of equal opportunities, transparency, clarity and embracing of ideas and projects intended to achieve a distinctive imprint and quality shift in the international agricultural sector.

Prof. Abdelouahhab ZaidSecretary General Khalifa International Award forDate Palm and Agricultural Innovation

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Inde

x

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Chapter One

Organigram 19

Chapter Two

Reports 27

Chapter Three

Harvest 107

18First Winner - Competition Date Palm through the eyes of the world - the seventh sessionFaisal Al Zadjali

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Chapter OneOrganigram

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Boar

d of

Tru

stee

s

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H.H. SheikhNahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan

Minister of Cultureand Knowledge Development

President of the Award’s Board of Trustees

H.E.Dr. José Graziano da Silva

Director - General of FAO

H.E.Dr. Mohammed Mahmoud Solh

Director General of ICARDA

H.E.Dr. Tariq Moosa Al Zadjali

Director General ofthe Arab Organization forAgricultural Development

H.E.Dr. Thani Bin Ahmed Zeyoudi

Minister of ClimateChange and Environment

H.E.Mr. Rashid Mohammed

Khalfan Al SharaiqiDirector General of

Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority

H.E.Dr. Helal Humaid Al Kaabi

Executive DirectorEmirates Metrology Institute

Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council

Prof.Dr. Abdelouahhab Zaid

Agriculture Advisor Ministry of Presidential Affairs

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Scie

ntifi

c Co

mm

ittee

Prof.Franz J. Hoffmann

USA – President

Dr.Fatima Al Ansari

UAE

Prof.Samir Al Shakir

DPGN

Prof.Jose Lgnacio Cubero

Spain

Prof.Yvon Martel

Canada

Prof.Harrison Hughes

USA

Prof.Ibrahim Al Musalm

KSA

26Second Winner - Competition Date Palm through the eyes of the world - the seventh sessionHaitham Al Farsi

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Chapter TwoReports

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H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, Issues a Decree Concerning

“Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation”

H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (God protects him) issued Federal Decree No.97/2015 concerning “Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation”. The decree provided that an annual award called “Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation” with the aim of acquainting the world with the attention rendered by the UAE and H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (God protects Him), to date palm cultivation and agricultural innovation and his generous initiatives in the activities and areas related to support of the researches and studies on date palm and agricultural innovation for the researchers, growers, exporters, institutions, companies and international organizations to adopt such innovations as well as support of the scientific research on development of the agricultural and date palm sector and to benefit from the global expertise towards finding the best means to improve the agriculture and date palm sector. The decree also provided that one of the award’s aims is honoring of the influential figures in the agricultural and date palm sectors and motivating innovators around the world to show creative solutions of benefit at the local, regional and international levels in addition to development of cooperation among the various parties involved in research, propagation, cultivation and the agriculture-dependent industry with date palm as a basic constituent of the final product. The award aims, as well, at spreading awareness of the necessity to develop the agricultural sector and to care for date palm at the national, regional and international levels towards promoting the big role of the UAE in hosting world awards and events and interest in environmental protection, fight against poverty and increase of the green area in order to serve the issues of sustainable agricultural development.

Article “III” of the decree provided that the award is to be granted to those who meet the criteria and conditions of granting among individuals and agencies working in the field of date palm and agricultural innovation, namely the institutions, colleges and faculties active in the field of agricultural and date palm sector, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, private companies having featured projects in this area, outstanding researchers and scientists, the best students, and the engineers, technicians and growers of distinction in this area. An annual budget of AED 12 Million is allocated to the award for which the required funds are provided in the form of financial rewards, categories of which are to be decided as per the provisions of Article “VI” of the decree, stipulating that a scientific

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committee is to be formed for granting of the award. This committee has the jurisdiction of implementation of the general policy of the Award as approved by the Board of Trustees, to decide the categories the categories of the Award, to elaborate the basic code and nomination conditions of all areas of the Award, setting up the evaluation criteria of the submitted works and nominations and any other jurisdictions entrusted to it by the Board of Trustees. Juries are to be formed every two years by virtue of a decision issued by the Board of Trustees upon the recommendation of the organizing committee. The juries undertake the evaluation process, provide an advisory opinion about the nominees and report to the chairman of the organizing committee. A board of trustees is to be formed by virtue of a decision issued by H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the United Arab Emirates and is entrusted with drawing up the general policy of the award, setting up the award criteria and the financial and administrative code, determination of the numbers and persons worthy of the award, formation of the permanent and temporary committees and determination of their jurisdictions, monitoring the activities of the permanent and temporary committees and approval of their reports with any other jurisdictions directly related to the foregoing. Article “IX” of the decree stipulated that Federal Decree No.15/2007 concerning “Khalifa International Date Palm Award is to be cancelled. Any provision in contradiction or inconsistent with the provisions of this decree is to be cancelled, as well.

Board of Trustees Presided by H.H Sheikh Nahayan MabarakH.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (God protects Him) issued Decision No.5/2015 on formation of the Board of Trustees of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation. The president of the Board is H.H. Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture, and Knowledge Development, and the members are: Director General of UN Food & Agriculture Organization “FAO”, Director General of the Arab Organization of Agricultural Development “AOAD”, Director General of International Centre for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas “ICARDA”, Minister of Environment and Water, Director General of Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, Agricultural Advisor of Ministry of Presidential Affairs and the Executive Director of Metrology Centre. The decision also stipulated that the board should appoint one of its members as vice president to replace the president in case of absence. The president of the board should appoint a Secretary General of the Award and the Secretary General may seek the assistance of whosoever he deems needed, both from inside the country or from abroad.

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Thanks and appreciation to His Highness the President ...

Board of Trustees of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation will hold its Annual Meeting ...

At the beginning, the Board extended thanks and appreciation to H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (God protects Him) for his honor of establishment of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation. The attendees extended thanks and appreciation, as well, to H.H Sheikh Mohamad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Higher Commander of the Armed Forces, for his great interest and support of agricultural innovation and date palm sector.

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The following issues were discussed during the meeting:

• Review of the financial and technical report of the Award’s 7th Session.• Approval of the proposed administrative and media plan of the Award’s new

session/2017. • Approval of the end-year financial statements of the Award’s last Session/2015.• Discussion of the general policy of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm

and Agricultural Innovation and approval of the standards, mechanisms and conditions of granting all categories of the Award.

• Approval of the financial and administrative code of the Award.• Approval of the organizational structure, functional tasks, salaries and rewards of

the workers in all sections and departments of the Award.• Approval of formation of the Scientific Committee of the Award.• Approval of formation of the permanent and temporary committees and

specifying their functions.• Review of the participations received by Khalifa International Date Palm Award in

its last session/2016 prior to the expansion project and the honor of establishment of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation by H.H President of the United Arab Emirates (God protects Him).

• Approval of all the participations in conformity with the conditions and mechanisms of the new Award and to carry them forward to the new session of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation according to the category of each participant.

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Technical ReportOn The work of the General Secretariat

Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation 2015/2016…

Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation achieved a lot of accomplishments and gains in 2015 at the local, Arab and international levels. The start was with the honoring ceremony of the winners of the Award’s Seventh Session on March 15th 2015 under the patronage and in the presence of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, H.H. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development and President of the Board of Trustees of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi and up till the proclamation ceremony of the new award and celebration of a group of international organizations and world’s personalities under the patronage of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the Emirates Palace Hotel on 15/03/2016.

Following the proclamation ceremony of the Award, The Board of Trustees of the Award held its 9th meeting on March 15th 2016.

President and members of the Board of Trustees of the Award also extended sincere thanks to H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs for his support, industrious follow-up and keenness to provide support and care to the agricultural sector and his guidance to overcome all obstacles of development and progress of this sector at all levels.

Activities and Events of the Award in 2015:

• Announcing publication of the Year Book of the Award’s Seventh Session, May 11th, 2015.

• Launching of the Eighth Session of the Award’s works, opening nominations for the categories of the Award and receiving nomination applications as from June 1st 2015.

• Announcing organization of “The First Egyptian Date Palm Festival at Siwa”, Arab Republic of Egypt on July 5th, 2015.

• The Award’s Participation in “Liwa Rutab” and “Liwa-Ajman Rutab” festivals July 22-30, 2015 and August 05-07, 2015.

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• The Award’s participation in “EXPO-MILANO”-Italy, December 22nd, 2015.• The Award’s participation in the vents of “Date Palm Day”, Dabba Alhusen,

October 07-10, 2015.• Announcing the events of the “First Egyptian Date Palm Festival at Siwa”,

October 08-10, 2015. • Organization of the “First Egyptian Date Palm Festival at Siwa”, October 08-10,

2015. • Announcing launch of the Seventh Session of “Date Palm in World Eye”

photography competition, October 20, 2015.• Publication of a new issue of the “Blessed Tree Magazine”, October 25, 2015.• The Award’s participation in “Erfoud Date Show” in Morocco, October 29th to

November 1st, 2015.• Announcing extension of the deadline of receiving nominations for the Award’s

Eighth Session, November 08, 2015.• Khalifa Award participation in the “Emirates Date Palm Festival”, within the

events of “Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival”, November 19th, 2015.• The Award’s participation in “Abu Dhabi 1st International Date Palm Show”,

November/2015.• Publications of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural

Innovation within the events of the Seventh Session:• Year Book of the Award, 2015• 2nd issue – Volume 7 of the “Blessed Tree” Magazine.• 1st issues – Volume 8 of the “Blessed Tree” Magazine.• ” Winners Book, 2nd Edition”, for the 4th, 5th and 6th Sessions (2012, 2013

and 2014)• “5th International Conference of Date Palm”, February 28, 2015• A special fine booklet introducing Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and

Agricultural Innovation, 2017.• Form and special conditions of the Award, including information about Khalifa

International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, its categories, nomination terms and prizes.

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The Secretariat General of Khalifa International Date Palm Award Publishes the Yearly Book 2015

The Secretariat General of Khalifa International Date Palm Award published the Award’s Yearly Book 2015, documenting all the events and activities of the Award’s Seventh Session.

The book included an illustrated documentation of the honoring ceremony of the winners of the Seventh Session , under the auspices and in the presence of H.E Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahayan, Deputy Premier and Minister of Presidential Affairs. The book also included documentation of the CV’s of the influential personalities in date palm sector and who were honored during the annual ceremony of the Award.

The book included, as well, the CV’s of the winners of the five categories of the Award’s Seventh Session with abstracts of the winning researches and statistics of the Award since the 1st and till the 7th sessions as far as the number of participants in the Award’s categories of Arab and foreign countries and the number of works participating in each category are concerned. The number of works of the last session came to 134 studies and researches in all categories from 23 countries, of which 16 are Arab and 7 are foreign.

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Introducing the book, Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid, Secretary General of Khalifa International Date Palm Award, said: “ While celebrating the winners of the Seventh Session of Khalifa International Date Palm Award and with the gains and achievements the Award has realized over seven years, the Award is setting out today to broader and more spacious horizons in continuation of its march towards fulfillment of its objectives and mission of developing date palm sector at production, industry and marketing levels. In all what we are doing we take the example of the immortal approach of the Late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahayan (God rest his soul in peace) and translate the visions and ideas of the Award’s founder and patron H.H.Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahayan (God Protects Him), President of the State, for contributing to the development and construction process and realizing further achievements for the United Arab Emirates in international forums.”

The Secretary General stressed that the great support Kahlifa International Date Palm Award is receiving from H.H. Sheikh Mohamad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Higher Commander of the Armed Forces and the constant care of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Premier and Minister of Presidential Affairs are giving us the confidence and incentive to exert more efforts to develop the Award and work on achieving leadership and excellence. Constant follow-up and wise guidance of H.E. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development and President of the Board of Trustees have also had great effect on the success and leadership the Award has reached.

He further stressed that H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahayan’s auspices of the annual ceremony of the Award and His Excellency’s crowning of the winners consisted the epilogue of the Seventh Session. His Highness’ patronage of and interest in the Award since first founded, are the pride of all workers in and contributors to development of date palm sector. His Highness remains the ideal and example for all of us in this field and we pray to God to be always up to the responsibility and up to the expectations and confidence of His Highness.

The Secretary General expressed hope, that with the launching the Eighth Session, the Award would realize larger expansion and that he was sure that participation in the five categories of the Award would enjoy further popularity on part of the researchers, experts, academics and farmers from all over the world to supplement date palm sector with more constructive and useful researches for developing and upgrading this sector to yet better standards.

Then he said: “We shall spare no effort to facilitate participation procedures and to provide all support and assistance means for all researchers of the various countries, who are true partners in excellence, success and advancement of the Award.”

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Khalifa International Date Palm Award opens nomination for its eighth session / 2016

What achieved by the award over seven sessions was on the level of ambition, and hopes…

The General Secretariat of Khalifa International Date Palm Award announced the opening of the nominations for its eighth session in 2016 in five categories, starting from the first of June 2015 until the thirtieth of October 2015. It is announced during a press conference held by the General Secretariat of the Award at the Emirates Palace Hotel, Abu Dhabi this morning in the presence of Dr. Abdelouahhab Zaid,Secretary-General of the Award, and Dr. Helal Humaid Al Kaabi, head of administrative and financial committee, and a crowd of representatives of local and international media, and a large number of interested people and researchers in date palm sector. At the beginning of the conference, The Secretary-General conveyed the greetings of H.H Sheikh Nahyan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Youth, Culture and Community Development, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Khalifa International Date Palm Award to representatives of the media and those interested in date palm sector, and appreciation of His Highness for their blessed efforts and good contribution to the upgrading of the award and the dissemination of culture on Arab and international levels, also emphasized the constructive role of the various means of media and keep pace the award and all its activities to show the bright side and to highlight its leading position on the global level. The Secretary General also said: “The observer of the Khalifa International Date Palm Award since its inception noticed and clearly a paradigm shift and the significant growth achieved by the award over seven sessions was on the level of ambition, hopes by virtue of the patronage of this award and its patron His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President, may God protect him, as well as the great support for the award by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and follow-up and attention of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, where he granted the date palm sector in general, and Khalifa International Date Palm Award in particular great attention and special care.”

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The Secretary-General stressed that the gracing of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan and honoring His Highness to the winners and honorees at the seventh session may form a new and bright start for the award and give them more brilliance and excellence, and giving us the motivation and ambition to maintain leadership and excellence and work to achieve successes and new achievements commensurate with the prestige award, the name, which was honored by carrying.His Excellency explained that the Secretariat of the Award and the Scientific Committee has completed all the preparations and the arrangements and special programs to start receiving applications under the directives of H.H Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Khalifa International Date Palm Award, and under the conditions and standards in each category… He stressed the keenness of His Highness Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan and wise direction to open the door for everyone to participate, compete, given the opportunity to all nationalities and from all countries of the world to be, Khalifa International Date Palm Award, a monument and a forum for honest competition and a bridge of communication and exchange of information and experiences and to achieve the ultimate goal of the award and upgrading the date palm sector toward new horizons in each session to achieve the desired interest to farmers and all workers in this sector with the preservation of historical heritage, economic and special status of the blessed tree. The Secretary-General of the Award, announced his happiness for opening nomination award categories door at its eighth session, starting from the first of June 2015 until the thirtieth of the month of October 2015, and extended an invitation to all farmers and producers, researchers, experts, academics and specialists, scholars, and all lovers of the date palm in the world-tree, to participate and submit their applications for transparent competition and achieve the first positions in all award categories; namely: Personal Excellence Category, the Category of Best Development Project, the Category of Better Technology, Talented Producers Category, and the Category of Outstanding Research and Studies in the field of date palm cultivation and dates production. Dr. Abdelouahhab Zaid, expressed his confidence that participation and competition will be broader and more in the eighth session of the Khalifa International Date Palm Award in all categories compared to the achievements and the polarization of the main researchers, experts and farmers on the Arab and international levels during the past sessions as a first prize specialized in the world... And wished all the candidates to achieve the benefit, winning and add a new brick to this edifice and achieve quality and distinctive shift in the date palm sector.

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At the end his speech, Secretary-General to Khalifa International Date Palm Award thanked and appreciated the presence of the media and those interested in date palm sector, and stressed the role of the media as real partners in the success of Khalifa International Date Palm Award through shading the lights and giving the prize the media space it deserves and to highlight the big achievements of Emirates and its special role in the developing of civilization, and in proportion to the prestigious position at the global level. For his part, Dr. Helal Humaid Al Kaabi ,Head of the Administrative and Financial Committee, in his speech about the distinctive role of the media in the success of the award and to highlight the gains at the, local, Arab, and world level within the outstanding achievements of the United Arab Emirates. Dr.Helal also said: “Khalifa International Date Palm Award has managed since its inception in 2007 and over seven sessions to attract the most important researchers and experts, academics and farmers around the world and became the edifice, frequented by all those interested in date palm tree through studies and research of distinctive scientific experiments achieved a qualitative and pioneering shift in the sector of date palm production and quality level, manufacturing, marketing, irrigation methods and treatment of lesions. All these new and innovative ways were credited achievements to Khalifa International Date Palm Award and after that providing an opportunity for everyone to participate and provide a summary of their research and spotted huge prizes for the distinct of them and free platform to compete and achieve the benefit”.

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He stressed that all of this has been achieved due to the patronage and unlimited support from the owner of the award and its patron His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, may God protects Him, in addition to the great support provided by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, as well as follow-up and the interest of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, and the guidance and support of His Highness Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, Chairman of the Board of Trustees. In addition to the principle of transparency, clarity and equal opportunities, and the approach of the prize in its assessment of the posts, and granting them positions and awards. And Dr. Dr. Helal Humaid Al Kaabi, pointed out, what emphasizes the pioneering of the award and credibility is the number of posts over seven sessions, where the total number of posts reached at the end of the seventh session in various award categories to (809) posts, and the candidates representing 39 countries around the world (20 Arab and 19 foreign countries). Studies and researches have got the First position in the number of posts the category was ranked in each session, with a total posts of (412) study and research, (58) post for the best production of a distinct category, (123) post for the best outstanding category technique, (109) posts to the category of best development project, (111) candidate for the category of Best influential figure in the date palm sector. . These numbers continuously increase in each session emphasizes the significant growth achieved by the award and the widespread…

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Dr. Helal Humaid Al Kaabi, pointed to the UAE’s participation growth year after year, which confirms the position of the blessed tree in UAE, and the care and great attention given by the wise leadership of the agriculture sector in general and especially to palm sector farming, and the keenness of researchers, farmers and producers to actively participate and contribute to the development of this sector. Dr. Helal Humaid Al Kaabi also expressed confidence that the award will have at its eighth session larger number of posts in each category, and to achieve the objectives of the award in the development of scientific research and specially in the palm field, and to encourage labors in the farming of the date palm sector to promote this sector in order to preserve the blessed tree on its strategic food and cultural significance to the all peoples. At the end of his statement, the Head of Administration and Financial Committee said: “The General Secretariat and the Scientific Committee will spare no effort in order to fulfill new achievements for the award, and I hope to be of level of responsibility and honesty... and what important role you are doing on the media level will be an important pillar in our success and our performance for this task and the integrity to be all at the expectations and trust of the owner of the award and its patron His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of UAE, may God protect him”. It is worth noting that the Scientific Committee of the Khalifa International Date Palm Award had held its annual meeting last March, headed by Dr. Franz Hoffmann, Chairman of the Committee, and the presence of His Excellency Dr. Abdelouahhab Z. Zaid Secretary-General of the Award. And it discussed during the meeting a number of issues that are in the development of the award and scurrying out to broader horizons, to achieve more accomplishments, and to ensure the superiority of the award and the preservation of their pioneering and discussed how to develop the competition conditions, Framing and applying terms and standardized provisions in all categories of the prize to bring it to the level of international prestigious awards , leaving a distinctive footprint in the field of scientific research and to contribute to the growth of human civilization the way that fits the status of the United Arab Emirates globally and the large achievements in all forums. It is worth mentioning, however, that Khalifa International Date Palm Award grants great prizes to the top ranking winners of its five categories. The first winner gets an amount of AED 300,000 with a trophy and an appreciation certificate while the second winner gets an amount of AED 200,000 with a trophy and an appreciation certificate.

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Under Guidance of Mansour Bin Zayed…

Announcement of Launching of the First Egyptian Date Palm Festival at Siwa…

Under the guidance and honor of H.H. Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Presidential Affairs, Khalifa International Date Palm Award announced on the 05th of July 2015 launching of an annual festival for the Egyptian dates at Siwa Oases in the Arab Republic of Egypt.

The announcement was made during a press conference held by the General Secretariat of the Award at Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi this morning in the presence of Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid, Secretary General of the Award and Dr. Helal Hamid Saaed Al-kaabi, Chairman of the Administrative and Financial Committee of the Award with representatives of local and international media and a number of those interested in date palm sector.

At the beginning of the conference, Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid welcomed the attendants and said: “It is our pleasure and honor to renew our meeting with you in this holy month to announce a new event of Khalifa International Date Palm Award, which comes under the guidance and honor of H.H. Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Presidential Affairs, as represented in Khalifa International Date Palm Award’s sponsorship, support and organization of the First Egyptian Date Palm Festival, scheduled to take place from 08 to 10 October, 2015, God Willing”

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The Secretary General added: “Such an honor of the UAE, and under the guidance of H.H. Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed, is a further confirmation of the close ties between the United Arab Emirates and Arab Republic of Egypt and enhancement of the bonds of joint cooperation on agricultural sector and would highlight, as well, the leading role of the UAE in supporting agricultural sector, particularly in the field of date palm. It would also emphasize the position of Khalifa International Date Palm Award and its constructive role in developing and upgrading of date palm sector at Arab and international levels in terms of cultivation, production and marketing and where the Award has earned global reputability, thanks to the great care of its owner and patron, H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahayan (God Protects Him), President of UAE, the unlimited support of H.H. Sheikh Mohamad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Higher Commander of the Armed Forces, attention of H.H. Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Presidential Affairs, and follow-up of H.E Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture & Community Development and President of the Board of Trustees of Khalifa International Date Palm Award.”

The Secretary General indicated that this initiative aims at upgrading date palm sector, support and promotion of Egyptian date palm cultivation and seeking solutions for the problems encountered by the Egyptian farmers such as unavailability of high quality varieties and contribution in control of palm pests in addition to improvement of the quality of production and packing and finding effective marketing solutions so as to raise the economic value of Egyptian dates. Due to the great experience of UAE in this field, there is also an idea of national project for developing date palm cultivation in the Arab Republic of Egypt.

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He then explained that a decision has been undertaken to make the Festival an annual event under the auspices of H.E. Minister of Industry, Trade & Small and Medium Enterprises in Egypt as national awards festival for date palm sector. The festival will be held at the Handy Craft Center of Siwa Oases in October every year.H.E the Secretary General also pointed out that a lot of Ministries and governmental and private organizations in the Arab Republic of Egypt have shown willingness to cooperate and to provide the required support for success of the festival to be added to the great efforts of UAE Embassy in Egypt and the facilities to be provided by this Embassy for guaranteeing success of the festival and achievement of its goals. Among the most important participants and supporters of the festival are the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), being the strategic partner of Khalifa International Date Palm Award. The Regional Office of the Organization will appoint two experts for assessment of the actual situation of date palm cultivation and dates production in Egypt and will publish a scientific book about the festival. Khalifa International Date Palm Award is working on a study about all aspects of the date palm sector in Egypt for the purpose of understanding the real situation of this sector and seeking appropriate solutions for all its problems for the benefit and welfare of the Egyptian farmer, in particular, and the date palm sector, in general.

The Secretary General then explained that responsibilities have been distributed for launching of the festival in time. A timetable has been elaborated and preparation of a promotional brochure and construction of a website for the festival are underway. At the sidelines of the festival, a number of lectures and accompanying events will be organized with the aim of granting the festival more vitality and for focusing on the importance of Siwa Oases as an area rich with date palm and a tourist destination having numerous heritage and historical privileges.

Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid ended his speech by extending special thanks to H.H. Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his guidance to hold this important festival, his patronage of date palm sector and his constant care to sponsor all the events of this sector and said: ”We would to God to be up to the responsibility thrown upon our shoulders for success of this event and for highlighting the leading role of UAE in agricultural sector and its great support of development and progress of date palm sector.”

The Secretary General also extended thanks to the media, pointing out their big role in accompanying the activities and events of Khalifa International Date Palm Award, stressing that he is highly confident that the First Egyptian Dates Festival would have the special attention of the media towards highlighting the bright side of the UAE, its effective contribution to the making of human civilization and its reputability at the Arab and international levels.

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For his part, Dr. Helal Hamid Saaed Al-kaabi, Chairman of the Administrative and Financial Committee of the Award, welcomed the media representatives and began by pointing out that the special care the Award is receiving from its owner and patron H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (God Protects Him), President of the UAE, the attention of H.H. Sheikh Mohamad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (God Protects Him), Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Higher Commander of the Armed Forces and follow-up of H.H. Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, thanks to such patronage and attention, the Award has achieved a great global reputability to emerge as the specialized award in the field of date palm worldwide.

He stressed that Khalifa International Date Palm Award, and within the framework of its strategy and sublime goals it has been launched to achieve, has not been restricted to being an award for competition or an annual honoring event but has become an international forum and set out towards new broader and larger horizons to exercise a significant role in consolidating relationships and constructive cooperation ties between the UAE and world countries.

He said: “The guidance of H.H. Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan for sponsoring the Egyptian Date Palm Festival at Siwa is a consolidation of the distinct relationships and fruitful cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and Arab Republic of Egypt and a confirmation of the important role the Award is playing towards development of date palm sector at the Arab and international levels and a further enhancement of the leading role of the Award in this sector, in particular, and agricultural sector, in general. It is also a confirmation of the Award’s role as

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a scientific forum and a bridge for communication of knowledge among experts, farmers, researchers and those interested in date palm sector.”

He also pointed out that such an honor comes, as well, within the scope of the targeted initiatives sponsored by the UAE in confirmation of its great role of caring of this sector, and ensuring development. It is also an enhancement of its constructive role in organizing exhibitions and festivals, embracing international awards and events and in attention to environmental issues and working on increase of green areas to serve sustainable development issues and food security, of which dates are an important part for many peoples in the world.

Dr. Helal Al-kaabi explained that sponsorship of Khalifa International Date Palm Award is not restricted to organization of this festival. It covers, as well, a contribution to launching of an award for the festival consisting of ten categories and the first winner of each category will get a financial award of EGP 20,000.00 in addition to an appreciation certificate and a trophy. The award categories and the criteria and conditions of same will be specified in a special publication to be issued prior to start of the festival.

He further explained that Siwa Oases, in Marsa Matrouh Governorate of the Arab Republic of Egypt, have been chosen due to the fact that the area is renowned for cultivation and production of dates and also for highlighting the historical, heritage and economic role of the rich Siwa Oases. Thereby; another goal of the festival would be achieved through promoting the area and its agricultural, tourist and economic importance and through highlighting its authentic heritage. For this purpose, the festival’s administration will provide a number of tourist guides to introduce history of the area and the vital places therein to the participants and visitors as well as publications for introducing the folk literature of the Oases and their deeply-rooted customs and traditions.

Dr. Helal Al-kaabi extended thanks and appreciation to all the ministries, organizations and public and private departments which showed willingness to support the festival and working on its success to be an annual landmark influencing the agricultural scene of the Arab Republic of Egypt and on education of the Egyptian farmer in addition to upgrading of date palm sector in Egypt in terms of cultivation, production, processing and marketing.

He ended his speech by extending thanks to H.H. Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his generous initiative and for his great support to the date palm sector worldwide. He also thanked the representatives of the local and international media for their constant and supportive communication with Khalifa International Date Palm Award, stressing once again the media’s role as a strategic partner of the Award and effective contributors to the success of the Award’s events through follow-up of its activities and dissemination of its culture.

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Attracted the Attention of Visitors and Those Interested in Date Palm Tree…

Khalifa International Date Palm Award Actively Participates in Liwa Rutab Festival And Confirms Participation in Liwa Ajman Rutab Festival …

Khalifa International Award for Date Palm has achieved great success during participation in the events of the 11th Session of Liwa Rutab Festival, held under the auspices of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, and organized by the Administrative Committee of the Cultural and Heritage Festivals and Programs in Abu Dhabi.

The pavilion of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm attracted large attention from the visitors and those interested in date palm sector, including growers, researchers and academics who were keen to visit the pavilion and to review the Award’s activities, publications and the participation conditions in the five categories of the Award.

A great number of owners of date palm farms in the United Arab Emirates were also keen to receive the registration form for participating in and competing for the Awards 8th Session/2016. They listened, as well, to a detailed explanation of the required criteria and conditions for participation and wining.

The educational publications issued by Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and displayed during Liwa Rutab Festival received high attention from the researchers, scholars and academics due to the palm date studies, projects and scientific researches contained therein. Of the most important publications offered by the Award were: issues of the “Blessed Tree Magazine”, the Yearly Book of the Award, the Winners Book and photos album of the “Date Palm in World Eye” Photography Competition in addition to introductory leaflets, educational brochures and CD’s, copies of which interested people were keen to get Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid, Secretary General of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm expressed his satisfaction at the results achieved through participation and stressed the importance of Liwa Rutab Festival as a significant window and annual forum for growers, researchers and those interested in date palm trees and industries.

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Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid praised the high standard the Festival has reached in its 11th Session, thanks to the kind patronage of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, who rendered date palm tree special attention and granted workers in and those in charge of date palm sector a great incentive to work sincerely for upgrading this sector at local, Arab and international levels in terms of cultivation, marketing and processing.

The Secretary General of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm said that the desired objectives of participation in Liwa Rutab Festival have been achieved. The Award has managed to attract a great number of growers and researchers for participating in its five categories and competing for its valuable prizes. The Award has also succeeded in promoting the date palm culture and the significance of the blessed tree at nutritional, economic and heritage levels, as being one of the important objectives of the Award. In this sense, the Award has participated in this gathering since the first session in 2011.

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Towards strengthening its global position and highlighting the leading role of UAE in date palm sector

Khalifa International Date Palm Award is participating in “Expo Milano 2015” in Italy…

Towards strengthening its globally leading position and emphasizing its active role in date palm sector, Khalifa International Date Palm Award will participate in the events of “Expo Milano 2015” festival in Italy through a special pavilion within the period September 13 to 21, 2015.

Such a participation comes after the great success and development achieved by the Award at the global level as being the first specialized award of date palm worldwide and after the Award has assumed a leading role in this sector and so attracting the most important researchers, farmers, academics and experts, both Arabs and foreigners, to participate in all five categories of the Award over seven sessions so far.

Concerning the aim of such participation, Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid, Secretary General of Khalifa International Date Palm Award, stressed that the Award’s participation in the events of “Expo Milano 2015” would be a translation of the vision of the wise leadership of UAE, namely strengthening the Award’s global position and its leading role in all fields. The participation is also within translating the ideas of the Award’s owner and patron, H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahayan, President of the State (God Protects Him) of highlighting the state efforts aiming at upgrading the date palm sector, within the great support the Award is getting from H.H Sheikh Mohamad Bin Zayed Al Nahayan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Higher Commander of the Armed Forces, the follow-up and care the Award is having from H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahayan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and upon the guidance of H.E Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Award within the Award’s strategy of spreading its culture worldwide and development of scientific research on production, marketing and industry of date palm.

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The Secretary General pointed out that Expo Milano 2015 would be an important opportunity and a convenient environment for promoting the culture and objectives of the Award and for attracting experts, researchers and farmers from various countries worldwide for participating in the Award’s events and enriching it with researches and studies, contributing thereby to advancement of the date palm sector and development of all aspects of date palm tree towards achieving the desired goals and reaching the results for which the Award was founded.

During participation in Expo Milano 2015, the Award’s program would be full of many targeted activities. The program includes a lecture by the Secretary General, Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid, about the Award, its categories, objectives, the successes it has realized and its constructive contribution to upgrading of date palm sector. There is also a lecture by Prof. Helal AlKaabi, Chairman of the Administrative and Financial Committee of the Award, about the actual situation of date palm in the UAE and the progress this sector has achieved thanks to the wise policies of the state and its keenness to expand green areas and protect the environment. Another lecture will be given by Prof. Sandra Baisic about “use of palm residues, past and future” and the latest techniques modern science has reached and researches in this respect. Moreover; a special version of “Palm in World Eye” competition would be launched during Expo Milano 2015 with valuable prizes for the first three winners. The first winner will get EUR 5,000, the second EUR 3,000 and the third EUR 2,000 in addition to a trophy to each of the three winners. Within the scope of its participation, the Award will organize a photography exhibition for the first three winner photographs of the 6 earlier sessions of the competition. The Award has also printed a special brochure in Italian about the Award, to be distributed to the visitors and directors of the pavilions of the 148 participant countries from all over the world.

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Active Presence of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm at the Fourth Date Palm Exhibition…

Within its purposeful strategy and its keenness to be actively present at all the activities and events related to date palm tree, Khalifa International Award Date Palm participated in the Fourth Date Palm Exhibition, held in Dabba Alhussen city from 7 to 10 October, 2015.

The Award’s participation consisted of a special pavilion where a number of publications were displayed and included documentation of the Award’s activities and achievements over seven years, being the age of the Award.

The Award’s pavilion was visited by a great number of visitors and those interested in date palm tree. Full explanation was given about the Award, its objectives, nomination to its categories and the conditions and criteria of such a nomination.A number of leaflets and brochures regarding date palm tree were distributed in addition to providing the growers and researchers with nomination forms to the new session.

Regarding this participation, Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid, Secretary General of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm, explained that such a participation falls within the interests and activities of the Award and its keenness to be present and to participate in all the events of the blessed tree towards promoting the Award’s role at the local, Arab and international levels and underlining its objectives aiming at upgrading of date palm sector and providing all that might contribute to development of this sector.

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The Secretary General emphasized that, through such participations, the Award works on wider dissemination of the date palm culture in addition to its initiatives in support and sponsorship of all purposeful projects leading to adding of all what is useful and fruitful for the benefit of date palm sector and all workers therein.

He pointed out that the Award’s recent participation in “EXPO- MILANO/2015” in Italy and the Award’s sponsorship of the First Egyptian Date Palm Festival were within the Award’s interest and keenness to support the date palm sector at the world’s level, to acquaint all peoples with the economic, agricultural and nutritional significance of this tree and to highlight the leading role of the United Arab Emirates in this concern, given that it is the first country worldwide in date palm cultivation and ranks first in terms of the events and projects of development and upgrading of this sector

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Honored by Mansour Bin Zayed… And organized by Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation …

Success and distinction of the events of the First Egyptian Date Palm Festival at Siwa Mass audience and wide Arab and international media coverage

Honored by H.H Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahayan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, and organized by Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, the First Egyptian Date Palm Festival at Siwa acheived great success and distinction and was met by mass audience and wide Arab and international media coverage.

At the end of the festival, Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation honored the winners of all categories of “Date Palm Cultivation and Production Competition”, launched by the Award during the festival. The Sheikhs of Egyptian Siwa tribes emphasized that the United Arab Emirates will always be a title of joy in the hearts of the Egyptians through the developmental projects it is inaugurating and the initiatives it is making with the aim of promoting the Egyptian citizen throughout the “Land of Egypt”. The tribal sheikhs praised the position and support of the United Arab Emirates to bring stability to Egypt and stressed that the “Spirit of Zayed Goodness” will be always present in the Egyptian collective memory,

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including all the welfare and development the Egyptians have been accustomed to and kept in their hearts with amiability, love and gratitude.

The festival was attended by H.E Alaa’ Abu Zeid, Governor of Marsa Matruh, Prof. Abelouahhab Zaid Secretary General of Khalifa International Date Palm Award, representatives of the various Egyptians Ministries and of UN Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO), UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and sheikhs and people of Siwa and Marsa Matruh tribes.

H.E Alaa Abu Zeid emphasized that the historical attitudes of the United Arab Emirates will remain engraved in the hearts of Egyptians with the ink of pride and glory. The Arabs and the Egyptians, and as they are celebrating the 42nd anniversary of October glorious victories, could only stand in tribute and in memory of the Late Sheikh Zayed (God rests his soul) recalling with pride and glory his famous saying “Arab oil is not dearer than Arab blood”.

His Excellency pointed out that this spirit is streaming giving from the wise leadership of the United Arab Emirates, represented by H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (God protects Him), H.H Sheikh Mohamad Bin Rashed Al Maktoum, Vice President of UAE, Prime Minister and Governor o Dubai, H.H. Sheikh Mohamad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Higher Commander of the Armed Forces and their brothers, their highnesses the member Sheikhs of the Supreme Council of the Union, saying that “ investors from the United Arab Emirates are in the process of inaugurating giant projects in the Governorate of Marsa Matruh for EGP 10 Billion in various developmental sectors, at the forefront of which is the tourism sector.

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His Excellency also valued the honor of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan by sponsoring this festival which marks the start point of the march of the blessed tree march not only at Siwa Oasis, but at the level of the Arab Republic of Egypt and expressed hope that this festival will be a prominent annual event to promote cultivation, production and marketing of date palm.

For her part, Eng. Hanan Al Hadhari, who spoke on behalf of the Egyptian Minister of Trade and Industry, emphasized the profound historical and cooperation relationships between the two brotherly countries and expressed gratitude to H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan for this honor and her pride at the success of the festival amidst such a mas participation by the people of Siwa.

For his part, Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid, emphasized that Khalifa International Date Palm Award, under the presidency of H.H Sheikh Nahyan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Knowledge Development, is keen to translate the guidance of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to support date palm growers at Siwa Oasis. Such a support has been actually achieved through the lectures and workshops given to the growers by a number of the Award’s experts over two days in addition to the field and extension visits made the experts to a number of farms and dealt with the latest scientific and applied techniques and methods of care of the blessed tree and increasing its yearly productivity as well as development of the craft industries based on palm tree products.

Prof. Zaid said: the festival included honoring of ten winners in various areas of date palm growing, handicrafts and artifacts associated with the blessed tree, each of whom got EGP 20,000.00. He explained that the winners list included: Mustaffa Ismail Othman for the best date palm grower/producer of “Siwi” variety whereas the award of the best presented research on development of date palm cultivation and

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dates techniques went to Dr.Saad Abdulahhab Younes Razka; Mohamad Hamideh Bibi won the award of the best model of folkloric products of palm cellulosic materials. Omar Abdullah Abu Baker Rajeh, also known as Sheikh Omar Rajeh, the representative of Siwa Sheikhs won the award of the best date palm grower who has several varieties of date palm. The 4th category of the best used category was won by Mursi Mohamad Abdulrahman. The 6th category of the award was withheld and was for the best applied organic agriculture and benefiting of the waste. The 7th category of the best date product was won by Abdulghani Kamal Abu Karam whereas the 8th category of the best packaging plant and house of dates was won by Bilal Mohamad Bilal. Fatima Hilal Mohamad won the award of the best packages designed by the ladies of the Oasis and the 10th and last award of the competition of the First Egyptian Date Palm Festival went to Mohamad Bin Omar Idris Haboun, also known as Shaker Haboun.

The winners confirmed that the festival jury, selected by Khalifa International Date Palm Award, and the evaluation criteria and performance of the jury were met by trust, great appreciation and satisfaction of the participants and that the results reflected the real situation in date palm cultivation in the Oasis, which further increased the credibility of the Festival and those who support it.

The Scientific Committee of the Festival held meetings over the pre-festival days after receipt of the samples had been completed and participation in the Festival’s Competition had been closed. The Committee evaluated the participations, more than 70, in all categories, consisting thereby a renowned turnout of the Festival in its first year.

The Festival’s events extended to include an exhibition at the Craft Industries Centre at Siwa, in the presence of several governmental ministries and agencies and participation of 110 exhibitors of the various sectors, including Rural Egypt Product Project, which is considered a developmental input to support of handicrafts and dates in Egypt.

Scientific SeminarsA scientific conference was held at the sidelines of the First Egyptian Date Palm Festival and addressed several main and important topics in the area of industry, production, cultivation and marketing of dates, being the main objective of the festival. The scientific conference included 4 sessions.

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The scientific sessions of the conference were moderated by Dr. Samir Shaker, representative of the International Date Palm Network; Dr. Mawalai Sedra, international expert of dates sector; Mr. Tamim Aldhawi, Marketing Director of the Export Council of Food Industries and Dr. Abdulmohsen Nizam, Advisor of the Food Technology Institute. Elite international scientists and experts in the field of date palm and its industries participated in the scientific sessions. The studies addressed several topics, most important of which are production of high quality dates, study of the market requirements, post-harvest treatment and added value and, finally future visions for development of dates and palm.

The first session, under the title “Production of High Quality Dates”, was moderated by Dr Samir Shaker and included many papers. Prof. Abelouahhab Zaid Secretary General of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm presented a briefing about the Ward and its most important achievements. Dr. Mohamad O Husain presented a paper entitled “Nutrition and Disease Prevention” and Dr. Adel Sabri participated with a paper about “ UNIDO Role in Development of Date Palm Sector-Challenges and Proposals” and a paper by Dr. Mohamad Faraj entitled “Date Palm Cultivation and Dates Production in Egypt- the Reality and Hope” in addition to papers by Dr. Sharif Alsharabasi entitled “ Date Palm, the Mainstay of Horticultural Condensation”, Dr.Riza Rizk “Key Definitions of Date Palm Varieties”, Dr.Mohamad Owies “ Bio-control of Date Palm Pests”, Dr. Mawlai Sidra “ Date Palm Diseases and Pest”, Dr. Samir Shaker “ Dates Production, Packaging and Marketing” and a paper by Dr. Adel Hijazi entitled “Tissue Transplant of Date Palm”.

The second session was moderated by Eng. Tamim Aldhawi under the title “Requirements of the World Markets”, in which representatives of foreign and local companies participated to discuss the international quality standards of dates. The third session of the seminars, under the title “Post-harvest Treatment and Added Value”, was moderated by Dr. Mawlai Sidra. Dr. Rifaat Abdulshafi presented a paper entitled “Dates Storage Pests and Control” during the seminar. Dr. Samir Shaker participated with a paper entitled” The Most Important Transformative Industries of Dates”. Dr. Nellie Kamal also presented a paper entitled “Rural Egypt Product Project and its Role in Supporting Dates and Handicrafts Sector”.

The fourth and last session, moderated by Dr. Abdulmohsen Nizam, was under the title “FutureVisions for Development of Dates and Palm” and included a number

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of papers. Mr. Mohamad Almazrouee participated with a paper entitled “A Model Success Story in the Field of Development of Dates Industry”. Dr.Nabawi Mutwali participated with a paper entitled “ The Best World Program for Control of Palm Weevil Using the Italian Injection Machine”; a paper by Mr. Ahmad Amin entitled “Support Fund of Pest Control of Date Palm at Alwadi Aljadid”; a paper by Mr. Ayman Salah about “The Role of the Social Fund for Development and the Financial and Non-financial Services the Fund is Providing”; a paper entitled “ The Role of Alexandria Businessmen Association in Development of Small and Craft Projects” by Mr. Ibrahim Malouk”; a paper by Mr. Tamim Aldhawi entitled “Statistics about the most Important Exporting and Importing Markets of Dates and Global Support of Dates Trade” and a paper entitled “ Proposed Launching of an Arab Centre for Packaging of Dates” by Dr.George Nobar.

Recommendations of the First Egyptian Date Palm Festival at SiwaThe participants, exhibitors, Ministry of Industry and Trade, UNIDO, the civil society, Sheikhs of the region and the Governor of Marsa Matruh extended thanks and praise to H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs for the generous initiative of organizing the First Egyptian Date Palm Festival at Siwa, falling within the framework of the developmental projects and good relationships between Arab Republic of Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.1- A proposal to make the festival an annual event organized by Khalifa

International Date Palm Award and to hold it next year at Siwa Oasis of Maras Matruh Governorate.

2- Due to the leadership of the United Arab Emirates in the field of date palm growing, production of dates in general and the quality of its product in terms of processing, packaging and exportation, it has been proposed to assign Khalifa International Award for Date Palm to resolve the problems and to operate the sole dates factory at Siwa.

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Organized by Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation…

Announcement of Winners of the Seventh Session of “Date Palm in the Eyes of the World”

Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation announced the winners’ names of the 7th Session of “Date Palm in the Eyes of the World” photography competition, annually organized by the Award in cooperation with Abu Dhabi International Photography Society within the activities and events of the Award.

This competition, which has already achieved widespread and attracted the most important amateur and professional photographers around the world, aims at promoting human relationship with the date palm tree, exchange of experiences among photographers, both amateurs and professionals from all countries of the world, and at highlighting of touristic, environmental and heritage potentials of date palm as well as promoting human attachment to land and agriculture.

The Competition is having the patronage and attention of H.H. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development and President of the Board of Trustees of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation. It is the first of its kind worldwide and witnesses’ high turnout for participating and competing for the top ranks each session.

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Since first launched, the Competition has developed a huge archive containing thousands of distinctive photos of the palm tree and related industries. It has also created a kind of competitiveness to take the most beautiful photo of the blessed tree and related industries by the lenses of among the most important world photographers.The number of the participating photos in the Seventh Session came to 1187 photos of 717 amateur and professional photographer from 33 Arab and foreign countries. Most of the nominated photos were conformable to all the conditions and criteria of the Competition adopted by the Award’s Administration and the jury.

In order to fulfill transparency and fairness principle, Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation selected an independent jury, whose members have extensive experience in photography and based on applying the international arbitration standards for choosing the most beautiful and top ranking photos. The jury includes Mr. Bader Al Naamani, as a chairman, and Mr. Yousef Al Housani Mr. Naser Hajji, as members.

After the meeting of the jury, and screening and application of the international arbitration standards of selecting the best photo, the jury unanimously decided on choosing the winning photos. Winner of the first rank was Faysal Alzadjali, the second Haitham Al Farisi, and the third went to photographer Iaman Al-Toukhi.The General Secretariat of the Award allotted AED 45,000.00 for the top three winners. The first winner will get AED 20,000.00, the second AED 15,000.00 and the third AED 10,000.00 in addition to an appreciation certificate and a trophy for each.

The winners will be honored in conjunction with the annual ceremony of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation , due to be held on next March 15th . The winners of this competition and the media figures will be honored on March 16th 2016.

The Award is also keen to issue a special album for each session featuring the most beautiful photos to celebrate the date palm tree in its own photography competition.

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Published by the Secretariat General of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation…

A New Featured Issue of the Blessed Tree Magazine…

The Secretariat General of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation published a new and featured issue of the “Blessed Tree” magazine which concerns date palm sector and related industries and earns the patronage of H.H Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development and President of the Board of Trustees of the Award.The new issue of the magazine included a lot of news, studies and reports related to date palm and the agricultural sector in addition to a featured number of photos of the date pam tree.

The issue coincided with the proclamation ceremony of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation at the Emirates Palace on the 15th of March instant in the presence and under the auspices of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

The magazine published the decree issued by H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (God protects Him) concerning Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, the categories of the award, its prizes and its board of trustees as provided in the decree.

The issue, published in both Arabic and English, covered the activities and participations of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural

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Innovation in many local and international events including, among others, the Award’s participations in the Fourth Date Palm Exhibition, Abu Dhabi International Date Palm Exhibition, Erfoud International Date Show in Morocco, Emirates International Date Palm Festival and Liwa Rutab and Ajman Rutab Festivals in addition to a special folder about the Award’s organization and sponsorship of the First Egyptian Date Palm Festival at Siwa.

The issue contained, as well, a special folder about Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid, the Secretary General of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, on the occasion of granting him the title”FAO - UN Goodwill Ambassador in the United Arab Emirates”.

The magazine also published the results of “Date Palm in the Eyes of the World” photography competition, organized by the Award in cooperation with Abu Dhabi International Photography Society with the names of the winners and the top three winner photos in its seventh session.

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The issue included also many valuable scientific researches and studies on development of date palm sector in both Arabic and English. The magazine published a research by Prof. Samir Al Shaker entitled “Dates and High Fructose Sugars”, a study entitled “Date Palm Trees Between Degradation and Valuation Attempts in Morocco” by Prof. Abdulaziz Bu Yehyawee, and “Bahrain Date Palm in the Gulf Directory” by Prof. Ali Afifi in addition to many other studies and researches in English and which are considered a quality addition within the scope of the researches intended to develop date palm sector.

In his foreword of the issue, entitled “Thank you Khalifa”, H.H Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, President of the Board of Trustees of the Award and Honorary Chairman of the Magazine, stressed that Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, which came as an honor from our father, H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates(God protects Him), to emphasize his keenness, patronage and unlimited support of the agricultural sector, in general, and date palm tree, in particular. The Award confirms, as well, his interest in development of scientific research and the studies and experiments of agricultural innovation, in line with the vision and future outlooks of Abu Dhabi government of diversification of income sources and concentration on the agricultural sector as a pillar and important source of food, income and economic renaissance.

His Highness said” H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (God protects Him) has realized the nutritional, economic, social and heritage importance of the agricultural sector and followed the trail of the Late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan (God’s mercy) and rendered great attention to this sector. He directed that it is necessary to bring this sector up to broader horizons and underlined the necessity to overcome all the obstacles to fulfill this approach. He (God protects Him) ordered to harness all the modern techniques and advanced technology tools of this age for achievement of development and growth at the level of agricultural innovation and care of the date palm tree as an important nutritional element closely linked to our inveterate heritage and social habits”.

He also emphasized in his foreword that The United Arab Emirates has achieved leadership in the field of agricultural innovation and date palm, thanks to the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (God protects Him), the great attention of H.H Sheikh Mohamad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Higher Commander of the Armed Forces and close follow-up and interest of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

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H.H Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak added that We shall spare no effort to contribute to the construction and development process through Khalifa International Award of Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation in order to maintain the leadership of this award in line with the prestige and nobility of the Award’s owner and sponsor, H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (God protects Him). He stressed that the noble targets of this blessed Award will only be achieved by concentrating efforts and sincere work. We are confident that the fellow researchers and experts and those interested in agricultural innovation and date palm around the world would provide researches and studies to promote advancement of this sector and upgrade it to better future horizons.

For his part; Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid, the Secretary General of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation and the General Supervisor of the “Blessed Tree Magazine”, and in his editorial, entitled “Khalifa Honorable Deeds and Visions are Our Inspiration and Causes of Our Success”, expressed pride and honor of what has been done over eight years through Khalifa International Date Palm Award. This Award has achieved great accomplishments and successes and left obvious imprints on development of date palm production, processing and marketing sector and at all local, Arab and international levels, thanks to the kind patronage of the Award’s owner and sponsor, H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (God protects Him), the attention of H.H Sheikh Mohamad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Higher Commander of the Armed Forces, follow-up of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and the directives of H.H Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, President of the Award’s Board of Trustees.

He added that H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (God protects Him) has envisioned, through his profound vision and future outlook, the significance of the date palm tree and agricultural innovation for development and growth of this sector, advancement of creativity, progress and innovation in it through purposeful and constructive researches and studies to upgrade this sector and increase the productivity of all crops and, thus, to contribute to bridging the world need for food, with which a lot of governments and countries have been preoccupied while the world is witnessing droughts and conflicts causing decline of agriculture and poor production and their impacts on the global food security. Therefore; it is required to create new mechanisms and to elaborate constructive studies and pioneering innovations in order to guarantee development of this sector and its access to better levels through motivation of experts, researchers and growers to contribute with their ideas and pilot projects to guarantee achievement of such targets.

The Secretary General extended thanks, appreciation and gratitude to the Award’s owner and sponsor, H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (God protects Him) for his unlimited attention and support to the agricultural sector, in general, and date palm, in particular and for his interest in agricultural innovation, and expressed

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his confidence that this Award would achieve all the objectives for which it has been established, thanks to the kind patronage of His Highness (God protects Him) and his profound ideas and visions.

Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid said: “We are optimistic and hopeful that we shall realize great achievements for the agricultural sector through this pioneering award. The constant support of Ministry of Presidential affairs, as based on the directives of H.H Sheik Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, will provide the Award with the incentive to innovate, succeed and work hard to harness all resources for development of the agricultural sector.

Furthermore; the support and follow-up of H.H Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture and Community Development and President of the Award’s Board of Trustees, will encourage and motivate all the Award’s staff to exert the best efforts for the Award to achieve accomplishments and successes up to the prestige and nobility of the Award’s owner and patron, H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (God protects him), inspired in all our work by his visions, ideas and honorable deeds.

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Towards Promoting its Leading Position and Role…

Active Participation of Khalifa International Date Palm Award in Erfoud Date Show in Morocco

Based on the directives of H.H Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture, Youth andCommunity Development and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Khalifa International Date Palm Award and within the Award’s strategy aiming at support and advancement of date palm sector at local, Arab and global levels ; and to emphasize its leading position in this sector and its keenness to participate in all the festivals and events related to the blessed tree, Khalifa International Date Palm Award has actively participated in the events of the 6thInternational Date Show in Erfoud in the Kingdom of Morocco, from October 29th toNovember 1st 2015.

The participation was through a special pavilion where introductorypublications and documents of the Award were displayed to monitor the glittering career of the Award over eight years of leading achievements and gains in the field of encouragement of scientific research and strengthening of the gifts of the blessed palm tree to become a scientific niche for all researchers, workers and other interested parties in the date palm sector at both Arab and global levels.

Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid, Secretary General of Khalifa International Date Palm Award presented to H.E Aziz Akhnoush, Minister of Agriculture and Fishing in Kingdom of Morocco, and during his visit to the Award’s pavilion,a detailed explanation about the Awards and its updates. The Secretary General also highlighted the importance of the Award and the achievements and gains the Award has realized and which positively influenced the date palm sector at the Arab and world levels as being the first specialized award in this field.

The Secretary General also emphasized that the Award has realized such achievements and attained such a leading position thanks to the great support and patronage of the Award’s owner and patron, H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahayan and the support and attention of H.H Sheikh Mohamad Bin Zayed Al Nahayan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Higher Commander of the Armed Forces, as well as the industrious follow-up of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahayan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, who has rendered great attention to this sector and has always directed that this scetor should be upgraded and that all capabilities, modern technology and science should be harnessed for its development and for taking it to wider and wider horizons.

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The Secretary General underlined as well the attention and guidance of H.H Nahayan Mubarak Al Nahayan, Chairman of the Board of the Award, with respect to the need of strengthening the Award’s presence and position in all forums and events and of providing all means of support to the date palm sector at local, Arab and global levels.

Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid indicated the reasons behind the Award’s participation in Erfoud Show are within the context of the Award’s strategy of strengthening its presence in all meetings and forums with the aim of introducing its activities, categories and participation terms and conditions in addition to motivate producers, researchers, experts and other interested parties to participate in the Award.

The Award’s gallery witnessed heavy turnout by researchers, students and interested parties. Forms for participation in the various categories of the Award were distributed and explanations about the participation conditions and aims were provided in addition to many magazines, publications and documentations of the date palm tree. The Secretary General of the Award highlighted the distinguished prestigious status of the Award within the scientific academic scene. He reviewed the gains Khalifa International Date Palm Award has realized as far as studies, researches and the various projects are concerned and which worked on development of the date palm sector at the Arab and International levels. He also highlighted the significant and leading role UAE is playing in this field.

The 6th Erfoud Conference was held under the banner “Dates are a Constantly

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Valuating Food Fortune” within the scope of creating a dynamism for development and refreshing of solidarity agriculture and for supporting the development of vulnerable area of ecological importance, particularly the Oases areas. The Dates Show Association, which supervises the Show under the supervision of Ministry of Agriculture and Fishing, yearns to develop the dates sector and to improve the living standard of the population.

The Show extended over an area of 40,000 M2, including 10,000 M2 for the galleries, with more than 250 exhibitors from 15 countries. Morocco, however, has witnessed this year an increase of 30% at dates production as compared to that of the last year with a gross production of 117,000 Tons within the context of the positive role the Green Plan is playing.

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Khalifa International Award for Date Palm Actively Participates in the Emirates Date Palm Festival

Khalifa International Award for Date Palm participated in Abu Dhabi International Date Palm Festival, hosted for the first time this year by “ Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival/2015”, under the patronage of H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (God protects Him) and support of H.H Sheikh Mohamad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Higher Commander of the Armed Forces and the direct follow-up of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

More than 200 exhibitors participated in the festival and represented 15 countries of the top exporters, producers and workers in the date industry. The festival included a lot of heritage and cultural events and is enjoying great interest from the visitors and media.

H.H. Sheikh Seif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior and H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs attended the opening ceremony of “Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival /2015” at Al-Wathba District amidst a remarkable official and popular audience.

Khalifa International Award for Date Palm’s participation in the festival was within the scope of its strategy aiming at promoting its participation and exercising its active role in the date palm sector in all the conferences, festivals and events related

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to date palm. The Award is keen, and within its noble objectives, to disseminate date culture at the local, regional and international levels and to highlight the leading role of the United Arab Emirates in the development of date palm sector as well as its constant efforts to upgrade this sector in order improve productivity and to adopt the best means and practices for this purpose.

Khalifa International Date Palm Award participated in this event through a special pavilion, where a number of publications about the Award were displayed and included magazines, brochures and leaflets in addition to application forms for the Award’s categories. The visitors were also provided with an explanation about participation mechanism in the Award with its topics, objectives and evaluation criteria. The pavilion also highlighted the internal and external events and exhibitions the Award is in the process of organizing and supporting, most recent of which were organization and sponsorship of the First Egyptian Date Palm Festival at Siwa which proved a great success at participation, visitors and media coverage levels in addition to the Award’s active participation in EXPO MILANO/2015 in Italy.

Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid, Secretary General of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm said that the Award’s participation in all the local, Arab and international events related to the blessed tree is upon the directives of H.H Sheikh Nahayan Bin Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture, and Knowledge Development and President of the Board of Trustees of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm in order to highlight the gains and accomplishment the Award has achieved and to emphasize the role of the Award’s owner and patron H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (God protects Him), his blessed efforts, care and unlimited support of the date palm sector so as to advance to the best standards.

Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid emphasized that the dates exhibitions and the other events of this sector consist an opportunity to exchange experiences and studies among growers, experts and specialists towards contributing to development of this sector and review of the latest results of the studies and researches on the blessed tree in terms of development of production, processing and marketing.

The Secretary General of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm pointed out that such a participation has come concurrently with the fresh launching of the Award to wider global horizons after having achieved a lot of gains through participation in and sponsorship of many Arab and international festivals, confirming thereby its active role and global leadership in date palm sector. He also explained that the Award, and starting from the coming session, will witness a new and distinctive quality leap and the General Secretariat of the Award will reveal its new strategy in a press conference to be announced soon.

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Achieved Great Success and Mass Audience in its First Session …

Closing the Events of Abu Dhabi International Date Palm Festival …

Amidst great success, wide participation and mass audience, the first session of Abu Dhabi International Date Palm Exhibition was closed in Abu Dhabi in November/2015. The Exhibition lasted three days at Abu Dhabi International Exhibition Centre and was under the auspices of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

The Exhibition, which received support and sponsorship of Ministry of Presidential Affairs, represented by Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation and held concurrently with SIAL Middle East Fair, witnessed the participation of a great number of Arab and international organizations and companies related to date palm and its industries in addition to a great number of importers and businessmen.

Abu Dhabi International Date Palm Exhibition is the first event of its kind in the world as being exclusively dedicated to dates trade and aims at highlighting the various date varieties as the most productive agricultural crops in the United Arab Emirates which is taking the lead in dates cultivation and production. It also highlights the economic importance of dates as an important part of the life of the people of the United Arab Emirates and its rich cultural and heritage legacy.

H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs had opened the exhibition on its first day and made a tour in the exhibition and visited a number of the participating pavilions. His Highness praised the extent and versatility of participation and pointed out the importance of Abu Dhabi International Date Palm Exhibition. He also emphasized that the exhibition

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considers a landmark in the world of dates production and industry at the world’s level and actively contributes to development of this vitally important sector. He, then, expressed hopes that the next sessions of the exhibition would consists of an annual forum for all workers in date palm sector worldwide, including growers, processors, researchers and the people concerned.

200 exhibitors from 15 countries participated in the first session of the exhibition, including producers, processors and importers in addition to a number of national pavilions. The exhibition was visited by 15,000 visitors in the first three days and had wide attention from the local, Arab and international media.

The participant organizations displayed several varieties of dates of high quality and high economic and nutritional output. The participants, and through brochures and documentaries, showed the applicable methods of production, processing and marketing of dates. Al Foa Dates Company, is one of the most important of such companies and a leader in the field in addition to the Arab pavilions of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Morocco, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Oman, Palestine, Egypt and a number of international pavilions from Malaysia, India, Pakistan, Italy and the United Kingdom.

It is worth mentioning that Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation hosted the international pavilions participating in the exhibition upon directives from H.H Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture, and Knowledge Development and President of the Board of Trustees of the Award, out of the Award’s objectives of support and encouragement of all those interested in date palm sector, including growers, institutions and experts in order to contribute to development and upgrading of this sector to better standards.

The exhibition witnessed many business deals among a number of producers, suppliers and importers as such deals consist of one of the most important targets of the exhibition which gathered under one roof producers and importers from all world countries.

The advisors hosting program, organized at the sidelines of the exhibition events, consisted an attraction point. About 50 importer companies of dates and associated products from the participating countries took part in the program and discussed with the exhibitors the best means to meet their needs and requirements.

Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, together Ministry of Presidential Affairs, participated with a large pavilion where it’s most important achievements were exposed for an eight-year course culminated with success and achievement of a quality leap in date palm sector at the world’s level. Also were displayed books, magazines and publications about the blessed tree in addition to documentaries which highlighted the agricultural, heritage, nutritional and economic significance of dates.

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On the closing occasion of the events of the first session of Abu Dhabi International Date Palm Exhibition, Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid, Secretary General of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, expressed his pleasure at the results and the great success achieved by the exhibition in its first session and said that the results were up to the ambitions and hopes, thanks to the patronage of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his directives to overcome all the obstacles and difficulties and to provide all support means to the participants which had a great impact of the exhibition’s achievement of all its targets.

The Secretary General emphasized that the date palm tree represents a national treasure and a civilization symbol to the Emirates people and the United Arab Emirates has achieved leadership and distinction in date palm sector at the world’s level thanks to the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan,President of UAE, (God protects Him), the attention of H.H Sheikh Mohamad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Higher Commander of the Armed Forces, close follow-up and distinctive care of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, who rendered date palm sector great attention and special care.

Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid then pointed out that all the participants have come out with a nice impression and praised the good organization and hospitality. They confirmed that their participation was a success and that all the targets of such participation were achieved after the exhibition had provided a specialized platform for trade exchange. They also stressed their intention of a wider participation in the next sessions because this important event would allow them to achieve

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promotion of their products, to meet processors and importers and to benefit from the experiences of other producers from various countries in the world and, thus, to adopt the best methods to increase production with concentration on varieties of high quality and higher economic output.

The Secretary General explained that Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation will work on broadening participation in the exhibition’s coming sessions and on more extensive promotion of the exhibition within the scope of the Award’s strategy aiming at support of all the activities and events related to agricultural innovation and date palm; highlighting of the leading role of the United Arab Emirates in the field of agriculture and date palm and its great efforts to upgrade this sector in order to improve production, processing and marketing; and to contribute to the programs intended to meet the food needs of the world, given that the agricultural sector is the cornerstone in this respect.

Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid ,the Secretary General of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation concluded his statement by extending thanks and appreciation to H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs for his patronage of this event and to H.H Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development and President of the Board of Trustees of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm Agricultural Innovation for his directives to provide all means for success of the exhibition. He also thanked all the participant companies and organizations as well as the sponsors and organizers and all the media which contributed effectively to coverage and promotion of the event at the local, Arab and international levels.

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Press Release

For the Press Conference of Announcement of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation

The General Secretariat of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation announced today the proclamation date of the Award, concerned with agricultural innovation and date palm sector, after a Federal Decree has been issued by H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (God protects him) for its establishment and defining its categories and objectives.

The above announcement was made during a press conference held by the General Secretariat of the Award at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi and attended by Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid, Secretary General of the Award, Dr. Hilal Hameed Al kaabi, Chairman of the Administrative and Financial Committee of the Award, a crowd of media representatives and a number of researchers and those interested in the agricultural sector.

At the beginning of the conference, the Secretary General conveyed the greetings of H.H Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture, and Knowledge Development and President of the Board of Trustees of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation to the media representatives and attendees.

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Press Release

For the Press Conference of Announcement of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation

The General Secretariat of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation announced today the proclamation date of the Award, concerned with agricultural innovation and date palm sector, after a Federal Decree has been issued by H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (God protects him) for its establishment and defining its categories and objectives.

The above announcement was made during a press conference held by the General Secretariat of the Award at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi and attended by Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid, Secretary General of the Award, Dr. Hilal Hameed Al kaabi, Chairman of the Administrative and Financial Committee of the Award, a crowd of media representatives and a number of researchers and those interested in the agricultural sector.

At the beginning of the conference, the Secretary General conveyed the greetings of H.H Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture, and Knowledge Development and President of the Board of Trustees of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation to the media representatives and attendees.

In a speech on this occasion, Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid pointed out the boost the United Arab Emirates has witnessed at the agricultural sector level since the era of the Late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan (God rests his soul in peace), thanks to His wise vision which changed the desert into a green paradise after harnessing all resources and overcoming all obstacles and applying the latest techniques and technologies.

Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid emphasized that the wise leadership under H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (God protects him) has followed the trail of the late Sheikh Zayed and rendered the agricultural sector special attention and great care, developed this sector and achieved a new qualitative leap.

He also pointed out that the Award has achieved great accomplishments over course of seven years after having attracted the most important researchers, experts, growers and those interested in date palm sector and worked on development of this sector and was able to occupy a globally prominent position as the first scientific award specialized in date palm and its industries at the world’s level. He stressed that such accomplishments have been achieved thanks to the kind patronage of the Award’s owner and sponsor, H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (God protects Him) as well as the attention of H.H Sheikh Mohamad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Higher Commander of the Armed Forces, follow-up of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and the directives of H.H Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, President of the Award’s Board of Trustees.

The Secretary General expressed his pride and honor at announcing launching of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation as an appreciation by H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (God protects him) under Federal Decree No.97/2015 out of His Highness’ belief in the significance of date palm tree, agricultural innovation, development and progress of the agricultural sector and advancement of the process of creativity, progress and innovation in this sector.

He explained that proclamation of the Award will be announced during a special ceremony to be held at the Emirates Palace Hotel on next March 15th and indicated that the most important objectives of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation is to acquaint the world with the attention rendered by the UAE and H.H. the President of the United Arab Emirates (God Protects Him) to date palm cultivation and agricultural innovation and his generous initiatives in the activities and areas related to support of the researches and studies on date palm and agricultural innovation.

He emphasized, as well, that the Award has been designed to concentrate on

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reward of the researchers and stimulate innovations to provide proper solutions of the future food needs of the world and to achieve a number of objectives, including support of scientific research on development of agricultural sector and date palm tree and to benefit from the global expertise towards finding the best means to improve the real condition of agriculture and date palm sector in addition to development of cooperation among the various parties involved in research, propagation, cultivation and the agriculture-dependent industry with date palm as a basic constituent of the final product.

Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid also stressed that the constant support and attention of Ministry of Presidential Affairs, based on the directives of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, would give the Award the incentive to innovate and work very hard to harness all resources for upgrading the date palm tree for the UAE to maintain its globally leading role in this area.

Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid pointed out that, based on transparency and fairness principle and within the strategy of the new award, the General Secretariat of the Award has decided to shift all the received nomination files of the old award to the first session/2017 of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation and within the applicable new conditions and criteria.

For his part, Dr. Helal Al kaabi, Chairman of the Administrative and Financial Committee of the Award stressed that the honor of establishment of the new award by H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan President of the United Arab Emirates (God protects him) is an emphasis of His Highness’ interest in and patronage of this sector and his keenness to develop it in terms of researches and studies and improvement of production. He also indicated the accomplishments Khalifa International Award for Date Palm has achieved, explaining that the number of participations over seven sessions came to about 1000 for candidates representing 39 countries around the world. Such figures do stress the great development the Award has realized and its wide spread.

Al kaabi said: “ as the new award is being launched, we are confident that it would be met by great popularity and broad participation after having adopted a constructive strategy and noble objectives for serving humanity through the agricultural sector so as to contribute to its development and to have such development positively reflected in promoting the concept of world food, in which agricultural sector is the cornerstone.”

Dr. Helal Al kaabi then referred to Decision No.5/2015 issued by H.H the President of UAE on formation of the Board of Trustees of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation under the presidency of H.H. Nahayan Mabark Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture, and Knowledge Development, and revealed that the new Board of Trustees of the Award includes following members: the Director

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General of “FAO”, the Director General of “AOAD”, the Director General of ICARDA, Minister of Environment and Water, the Director General of Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority , Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid, Agricultural Advisor- Ministry of Presidential Affairs as a member and Secretary General of the Award and Dr.Hilal Al Kaabi , Director of the Meteorology Centre.

He also indicated that the Board of Trustees will also approve, during its next meeting on 15 March 2016, the Scientific Jury of the Award, including eminent scientists and experts in the fields of innovation in the agricultural sector and cultivation of date palm. These scientists and experts will unanimously decide the winner in each category of the Award.

Dr. Helal Al kaabi indicated, as well, the categories of the new award and the award specified for each category. He then finished his speech by extending thanks and appreciation to the attendees, stressing that the General Secretariat of the Award and would spare no effort to achieve success and excellence and continue with the march of success. Then, he said” The important role the various media are playing at the level of promotion of the Award and dissemination of its culture will be an important element in our success and performance of this mission and trust, so as to be all up to the good expectation and confidence of the Award’s owner and patron H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (God protects him)”.

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Under the guidance of Mansour Bin Zayed…And within the framework of preparations for launching the Second Egyptian Date Palm Festival at Siwa…

The Organizing Committee holds its first meeting at Siwa…

Within the honor of H.H. Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs to hold the Second Egyptian Date Palm Festival at Siwa and to restart Siwa Date Factory, and within the framework of the efforts and coordination to launch the festival next October, the Organizing Committee held its first meeting at Siwa in the Arab Republic of Egypt.

The meeting brought together Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid, Secretary General of Khalifa International Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation Award in UAE; Mr. Ahed Karkouti, Public Relations Coordinator of the Award; Eng. Hannan Al-Khodhari, Chairman of the Technological Industries and Innovation Council, representative of the Egyptian Ministry of Trade and Industry; Mr. Anwar Sarhan, Secretary General of Siwa Society of Community Development; Sheikh Omar Rajeh, representing the sheikhs of Siwa tribes; members of Siwa City Council and Mrs. Nivine Al-Joundi, on behalf of the implementing company of the festival.

Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid opened the meeting and commended the efforts exerted during the First Egyptian Dates Festival from 8 to 10 October 2015. He stressed that the Award is fully ready to implement the Festival in accordance with the guidance of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahayan and to provide all the requirements within the resources. He further stressed the directives of His Highness that the main objective of the festival is to achieve comprehensive development of Siwa Oasis and city through support of dates cultivation and production and related industries.

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For her part, Eng. Hannan Al-Khodhari emphasized the role of the Egyptian Side, represented by the Egyptian Ministry of Trade and Industry, in promoting community development at Siwa and working on investment of the Festival’s success in its first year. She pointed out the statements of Dr.Tarek Kabif, the Egyptian Trade and Industry Minister, in which he indicated the Egypt occupies the first place worldwide in dates production and that there is a plan pursued by the Ministry to cooperate with the concerned authorities, at the very front of which come Khalifa International Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation Award, UNIDO and FAO.

On the other hand; Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid participated in several meetings among Khalifa International Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation Award, Marsa Matrouh Governorate, UNIDO and FAO concerning restart of Siwa Dates Factory. Also discussed were The efforts and attention of Khalifa International Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation Award with respect to the proposed registration and certification Siwa as a “Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System”.

H.E Minister of Trade and Industry, Eng. Tarek Kabil with Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid

Within the efforts exerted for implementation of the honor of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan for rehabilitation of Siwa Dates Factory and for Khalifa International Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation Award to bear the costs of restart of the factory, and towards accomplishing this task, Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid, accompanied by several members of the Technical Committee, made a field visit for checking the latest works completed within the restart plan. Prof. Zaid held, as well, a meeting with H.E Tarek Kabil, Minister of Trade and Industry in the Arab Republic of Egypt and another meeting with H.E. Maj. Gen. Alaa Aba Zaid, Governor of Matrouh, to discuss the latest developments and the adopted steps of the work plan and strategy pursued by the Award for restart of the factory, expected to be operable within four months according to the work of the Technical Committee, so as to have the factory fit for receiving dates from the growers during the next harvest in October, 2016.

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Organized by Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation…

Announcement of Winners of the Seventh Session of “Date Palm in the Eyes of the World”

Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation announced the winners’ names of the 7th Session of “Date Palm in Eyes of the World” photography competition, annually organized by the Award in cooperation with Abu Dhabi International Photography Society within the activities and events of the Award.

This competition, which has already achieved widespread and attracted the most important amateur and professional photographers around the world, aims at promoting human relationship with the date palm tree, exchange of experiences among photographers, both amateurs and professionals from all countries of the world, and at highlighting of touristic, environmental and heritage potentials of date palm as well as promoting human attachment to land and agriculture.

The Competition is having the patronage and attention of H.H. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development and President of the Board of Trustees of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation. It is the first of its kind worldwide and witnesses’ high turnout for participating and competing for the top ranks each session.

Since first launched, the Competition has developed a huge archive containing thousands of distinctive photos of the palm tree and related industries. It has also created a kind of competitiveness to take the most beautiful photo of the blessed tree and related industries by the lenses of among the most important world photographers.

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The number of the participating photos in the Seventh Session came to 1187 photos of 717 amateur and professional photographer from 33 Arab and foreign countries. Most of the nominated photos were conformable to all the conditions and criteria of the Competition adopted by the Award’s Administration and the jury.

In order to fulfill transparency and fairness principle, Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation selected an independent jury, whose members have extensive experience in photography and based on applying the international arbitration standards for choosing the most beautiful and top ranking photos. The jury includes Mr. Bader Al Naamani, as a chairman, and Mr. Yousef Al Housani Mr. Naser Hajji, as members.

After the meeting of the jury, and screening and application of the international arbitration standards of selecting the best photo, the jury unanimously decided on choosing the winning photos. Winner of the first rank was Faysal Alzadjali, the second Haitham Al Farisi, and the third went to photographer Iaman Al-Toukhi.

The General Secretariat of the Award allotted AED 45,000.00 for the top three winners. The first winner will get AED 20,000.00, the second AED 15,000.00 and the third AED 10,000.00 in addition to an appreciation certificate and a trophy for each. The winners will be honored in conjunction with the annual ceremony of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation , due to be held on next March 15th . The winners of this competition and the media figures were honored on March 16th 2016.

The Award is also keen to issue a special album for each session featuring the most beautiful photos to celebrate the date palm tree in its own photography competition.

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Extended Thanks and Appreciation to the Award’s Founder and Patron …And Expressed Hopes that The Award Would Achieve Global Leadership …

The Scientific Committee of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation Holds its First Meeting …

The Scientific Committee of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation held its first annual meeting yesterday under the chairmanship Prof. Franz J.Hoffmann, Chairman of the Committee, and in the presence of Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid, Secretary General of the Award. The meeting was also attended by all members of the Scientific Committee: Prof. Harrison Hughes, Prof. Samir Al Shaker and Prof. Yvon Martel.

At the beginning of the meeting, the chairman and members of the Scientific Committee extended thanks and appreciation to H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (God protects Him), President of the United Arab Emirates for his initiatives of establishment of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation and for his great support of the agricultural and date palm sector and encouragement of the scientists, researchers and experts to provide new innovations to upgrade this sector and realize the best results at the agricultural innovation level so as to guarantee the Award’s active contribution to the world food programs.

The chairman and members of the Scientific Committee also praised the efforts and care of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, and his great support of agricultural innovation and date palm sector which yielded achievement of many accomplishments for both sectors at the world’s level. They praised, as well, the constructive role and wise guidance of H.H. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development and President of the Board of Trustees of The Award, and his keenness to achieve the best results so as guarantee excellence and leadership of the Award as the first scientific award of its kind at the world’s level.

The Committee also expressed hopes to attract the most important researchers, experts and those interested in the agricultural sector and date palm sector worldwide to participate in the Award and enrich it with pioneering studies and innovations for serving the agricultural sector and through which the participants would fairly and transparently compete to win the big prizes the Award has allocated for all the categories related to agricultural innovation.

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During its meeting, the Committee discussed a number of topics related to the mechanism, conditions and criteria of participation in all categories of the Award. The Committee stressed adoption of the transparency, clarity and fairness principle and that all participants should be allowed the chance to compete and realize benefit, as a translation of the wise vision and supreme directives of the Award’s owner and patron, H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (God protects Him), President of the United Arab Emirates and in line with the world prestige of the United Arab Emirates and its great achievements in all forums.

The Committee then reviewed the researches and studies received by Khalifa International Award for Date Palm in its last session and the decision of the Board of Trustees of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation on approval of such participations and to include them within the participations of the First Session of the Award on a transparency and fairness ground. The Committee also indicated that all the conformable participations would be assessed and approved according to the category specified for each in the new award.

Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, however, organized a large ceremony last Tuesday under the patronage of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi, during which proclamation of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation was announced and a number of influential figures and those having distinctive imprints in the field of agricultural innovation and date palm at the Arab and world level were honored.

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In recognition of their constructive role in promoting the Award and spreading of its culture…

The General Secretariat of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation honors a number of media representatives and the jury and winners of “Date Palm in the Eyes of the World” photography competition …

The General Secretariat of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation held on 15th March 2016 a special ceremony at Emirates Palace Hotel, Abu Dhabi, during which a number of the various media representatives as well as the top ranking winners of the 7th Session of “Date Palm in the Eyes of the World” photography competition.

Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid, Secretary General of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, started the ceremony by welcoming the honorees and conveyed to them the greetings of H.H Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development and President of the Board of Trustees of the Award. His Excellency praised the role of the various media in promoting the Award’s culture and noble objectives, the efforts and support of the Award’s founder and patron H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (God protects Him). He also praised the media’s role in conveying the bright image of the accomplishments and contributions of the

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United Arab Emirates in the human civilization to all peoples of the world and emphasized that media is an active partner in distinction and the achieved success and leadership of the Award through its influential mission. He praised, as well, the media’s effective role and its keeping pace with the accomplishments and gains of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm since first launched in 2007 and till the last session/2015, leaving thereby a great impact on promotion of the Award and the extent of its expansion at both Arab and international levels.

The Secretary General added that all types of media have faithfully done their role and fulfilled their mission to the fullest, deserving thereby all due respect and appreciation.

The Secretary General then honored the jury members of “Date Palm in the Eyes of the World” photography Competition and praised their efforts in choosing the most beautiful participating photos, fulfillment of transparency, clarity and fairness principle and implementation of international arbitration standards in selection of the winner photos.

He also honored the winners of the seventh session of the Competition and praised their efforts and keenness to participate with the most beautiful images of date palm sector and industries and, thus, to culturally enrich the Award and supplement the arena

with photos of outstanding quality that serve the research and studies related to date palm.

The Secretary General pointed out that the Competition, with the special attention rendered by H.H Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, has achieved a tangible development both in the number of participations and in the quality and resolution of the photos in line with its position and importance as the first specialized competition of date palm worldwide.

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During the ceremony, Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid granted appreciation certificates to the journalists and appreciation certificates with commemorative trophies to the winners of the Photography Competition.

For their part, the honored journalists praised this generous gesture which emphasizes broadmindedness of those in charge of the Award and their recognition of the noble mission of the media, enhancing thereby the good relationships between the Award and media. They also emphasized that such honoring would give them the incentive to exert yet more efforts to convey the shinning image of all the events and activities organized and sponsored by the United Arab Emirates , on top of which comes Khalifa International Award for Date Palm as a landmark in UAE record, towards highlighting leadership of the Award and the significant role UAE has in serving and developing palm date sector and reflecting the shinning image of UAE in line with the globally prestigious standing of the United Arab Emirates.

The top ranking winners of the Photography Competition praised Khalifa International Date Palm Award and “Date Palm in the Eyes of the World” competition for allowing them the opportunity to promote their talents and for having motivated their creativity through the standards selected by the competition’s management and by creating a fair competition atmosphere to confer more importance on the cultural and aesthetic aspects of date palm. They also confirmed that they would continue to participate in the next sessions of the competition and contribute to expansion of date palm culture and aesthetics.

Under Guidance and Patronage of Mansour Bin Zayed…

Letter of Intent between Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation and the Egyptian Ministry of Industry and Trade Concerning Organization of the Second Egyptian Date Palm Festival at Siwa …

Under guidance and patronage and as an honor of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, and to emphasize the solid relationships between the United Arab Emirates and Arab Republic of Egypt; and towards strengthening the bonds of mutual cooperation in the agricultural sector and to highlight the leading role of the UAE in supporting the agricultural sector, especially in the field of date palm; and to emphasize, as well, the position of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation and its constructive role in development and upgrading of date palm sector at the Arab and international levels;

Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation in the United Arab Emirates and Ministry of Industry and Trade in the Arab Republic of Egypt, in cooperation with the Regional Office of the UN Industrial Development Organization “UNIDO”, as a strategic partner, signed a mutual letter of intent concerning organization of the “Second Egyptian Date Palm Festival at Siwa” within the period from 27 to 29 October, 2016.

Signed by H.E Eng. Tarek Kabil, Minister of Industry and Trade in the Arab Republic of Egypt, as first party, and H.H. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, and being the Chairman of the Award’s Board of Trustees, on behalf of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, as second party, the letter of intent included that whereas both parties of the protocol are aware of the importance of supporting the date palm production and processing sector in Egypt, to which the government is rendering special attention, and whereas the second party has large experience in organization and sponsorship of similar festivals, both parties of the letter of intent have agreed to organize the Second Egyptian Date Palm Festival at Siwa under the auspices of H.E Minister of Industry and Trade so as to include producers and

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Under Guidance and Patronage of Mansour Bin Zayed…

Letter of Intent between Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation and the Egyptian Ministry of Industry and Trade Concerning Organization of the Second Egyptian Date Palm Festival at Siwa …

Under guidance and patronage and as an honor of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, and to emphasize the solid relationships between the United Arab Emirates and Arab Republic of Egypt; and towards strengthening the bonds of mutual cooperation in the agricultural sector and to highlight the leading role of the UAE in supporting the agricultural sector, especially in the field of date palm; and to emphasize, as well, the position of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation and its constructive role in development and upgrading of date palm sector at the Arab and international levels;

Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation in the United Arab Emirates and Ministry of Industry and Trade in the Arab Republic of Egypt, in cooperation with the Regional Office of the UN Industrial Development Organization “UNIDO”, as a strategic partner, signed a mutual letter of intent concerning organization of the “Second Egyptian Date Palm Festival at Siwa” within the period from 27 to 29 October, 2016.

Signed by H.E Eng. Tarek Kabil, Minister of Industry and Trade in the Arab Republic of Egypt, as first party, and H.H. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, and being the Chairman of the Award’s Board of Trustees, on behalf of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, as second party, the letter of intent included that whereas both parties of the protocol are aware of the importance of supporting the date palm production and processing sector in Egypt, to which the government is rendering special attention, and whereas the second party has large experience in organization and sponsorship of similar festivals, both parties of the letter of intent have agreed to organize the Second Egyptian Date Palm Festival at Siwa under the auspices of H.E Minister of Industry and Trade so as to include producers and

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manufacturers of date from the private and governmental sectors from the various geographical regions all over the Republic.

It has been also agreed to hold the second session of the festival at Siwa within the period from 27 to 29 October, 2016 towards achievement of a series of objectives, most important of which are: display of the best varieties of dates, including rare ones, the by-products, tissue seedlings, dates processing and packing equipment, cultivation techniques and services of date palm, awareness of the health aspects and nutritional value of dates, showing specialized films and scientific books and publications about palm and dates with paintings and photographs and presentation of heritage display of the host region of the festival in addition to overcoming the obstacles facing production and processing of date, assessment of the proposed solutions for such obstacles, encouragement of the dates production and processing sectors and specifying the priorities of each and exchange of experiences and strengthening of bonds among the growers, producers and manufacturers of dates both inside the territories of Arab Republic of Egypt and abroad.

The letter of intent provided that the participants in the festival are the growers specialized in cultivation of date palm, experts of date palm cultivation and production, prevention experts in the field of date palm diseases and pests and specialists of processing and export of dates in addition to representatives of the scientific and research institutes and the international organizations and agencies.

The letter of intent also provided that a competition for the participants in the festival is to be launched within 10 categories to be agreed upon between the parties and the UNIDO and supervised by a committee of supervisory experts to be selected by agreement of the partners. Each winner will get an appreciation certificate from Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural innovation with the festival trophy and a cash award of EGP 20,000.00.

The memorandum included that the festival would be accompanied by organization of specialized scientific seminars to highlight date palm cultivation in the world, in general, and the Arab Republic of Egypt, in particular with focus on the techniques of propagation, production, control of diseases and pest and the obstacles facing processing and marketing of dates. The seminars schedule is to be drawn up under the supervision of the organizational committee of the festival.

The memorandum provided, as well, that a photography competition is to be launched at the sidelines of festival events under supervision of the second party in cooperation with the Egyptian Photography Society.

With respect to the obligations and responsibilities of the parties, the letter of intent confirmed the first party, “Ministry of Industry and Trade”, commitment to undertake general coordination among all the participants, both internally and externally, as

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being the executive party of the festival, to construct a web site to acquaint with the festival and to obtain the required security permits for holding the festival as well as obtaining security approvals for access permits of the participating delegations and individuals and issue of a decision on formation of the organizational committee of the festival comprising members representing each of Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reclamation, Ministry of Environment, Tourism Agency, National Security Board and Domestic Security Board.

The letter of intent also stipulates that the first party is to contribute to providing transportation for the participants in the festival, to write to all the ministries and concerned parties for providing the required support and to bear all the travel and accommodation costs of the first party representatives in the festival.

As for the obligations of the second party, “Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation”, the letter of intent stipulates that the Award will assume the general budget of the festival, including covering all the organizational costs of the festival, logistic support of the participants and exhibitors, design and printing of the introductory brochures of the festival and bearing the travel (land) and accommodation costs of the exhibitors and lecturers of the festival who live out of Siwa area.

The second party also undertakes to provide the awards of the festival competition, namely ten awards of EGP 20,000.00 each, the awards of the photography

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competition of EGP 10,000.00 to the first winner, EGP 5,000.00 to the second and EGP 3,000.00 to the third, together with all the expenses of the supervisory technical committees of both competitions.

The letter of intent stipulates, as well, on some joint-obligations of the parties, such as development of the categories, conditions and standards of the festival competitions and that no party is to publish any news or releases in the all local, Arab or international media without reference to and prior approval of the other party. Each party will also appoint a general coordinator for follow-up and conducting of implementation of the obligations under this letter and put them into practice.

The letter also specifies the jurisdiction and authorities of the organizational committee of the festival such as development of action plans, follow-up of implementation, elimination of the obstacles and difficulties, follow-up and conducting of implementation of the obligations under this letter and put them into practice and development of the categories, conditions and standards of the festival competition and juries.

The committee should also hold periodical meeting, when so needed, for monitoring implementation of the works included in this letter and review all the aforementioned outputs within the jurisdiction of the committee prior to implementation or publication.

The letter of intent signed by both parties stipulates that the letter is valid as from the date of signing it and for one year, renewable for another period to be agreed upon in writing by the parties.

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Under the Patronage of Nahayan Mabarak

Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation and the Council of Matruh Governorate Sign a Letter of Intent

Under the Patronage of H.H Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development and towards further consolidation of cooperation and emphasis of the solid relationships between the United Arab Emirates and Arab Republic of Egypt and keenness to develop them; and in the presence of H.H Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development; Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation in the United Arab Emirates and the Council of Marsa Matruh Governorate in the Arab Republic of Egypt, signed a letter of intent concerning “rehabilitation and operation of the dates factory at Siwa”.

Signed on behalf of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation by Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid, Secretary General of the Award, and by H.E Gen. Alaa’ Abu Zeid, Governor of Marsa Matruh on behalf of the Council of Marsa Matruh Governorate, the letter of intent aims at creation of a partnership between both parties to achieve mutual objectives and to work on enhancement of cooperation between both through implementation of its clauses.

The letter of intent included that the will of both parties has met to achieve mutual accomplishments intended to upgrade date palm sector in the Arab Republic of Egypt, given that Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, as an independent organization, has the experience and technical capabilities to manage events, activities and production in the field of date palm sector and agricultural innovation at the Arab and international levels. The Award, and within its constructive strategy, aims to upgrade the date palm and agricultural innovation sector through applying the latest methods and best techniques and modern technology. The Award also has wide experience in operation and management of dates factors by scientific methods and modern techniques.

And whereas Matruh Governorate owns a date factory at Siwa, constructed in 2010 but without being operable for technical and financial reasons and is willing that Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation would undertake its rehabilitation and operation in full capacity;

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The two parties, and through a letter of intent signed by both, agreed that the first party, “ Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation” will rehabilitate and operate the factory, select the experts, professionals and consultants, whether individuals or companies, for accomplishment of this task, and the first party has the right to assign and approve whosoever deemed appropriate without reference to the second party. The first party shall bear all the costs related to the above obligations but shall not bear the costs of the missing machines and equipment which remain the responsibility of the supplier according to the respective contract. The letter also stipulates that the first party will provide the second party with a copy of periodical monthly reports of work progress during the rehabilitation period including the needed requirements and that the first party undertakes to work with full capacity and capabilities to hand over the factory to the Council of Marsa Matruh Governorate at the beginning of date harvest season 2016/2017 with the available capacities and outstanding quality of dates and their by-products.

Once the factory has been duly handed over to the Council of Marsa Matruh Governorate, the first party is deemed to have fulfilled all its obligations and not responsible for any costs during the pre and post-delivery phase, such as management, maintenance and re-start but remains committed to provide the second party with the post rehabilitation action plan of the factory as recommended by the technician, consultants and administrators in order to guarantee continuation and quality of the production up to the aspired standard.

The letter of intent stipulates that the rehabilitation period is eight months and the said operation period is three months as from the start of receiving dates on 1 October and till end December 2016.

With respect to the obligations of the second party, Council of Marsa Matruh Governorate, the letter of intent stipulates that the second party will hand over the factory to the first party during the rehabilitation period, starting on 1 April 2016, authorize it with full powers during the rehabilitation and re-start of the factory and provide all means of logistical support to the technical and consultant committees, including the required human resources. The second party will also provide the first party with all the necessary letters and correspondence to facilitate the consultant’s job in addition to appointment of general coordinator from the Governorate Council to be under the disposal of the first party.

The second party undertakes, as well, to provide the first party with what may benefit completion of the works assigned to it and take-over of the factory after rehabilitation and the first three months of operation. The second party’s request of any technical or administrative consulting after operation of the factory is not binding to the first party and remains within the scope of coordination and cooperation and as decided by the first party.

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Furthermore; the agreement stipulates that the second party undertakes to coordinate with the supplier of the equipment in order to provide all the rehabilitation obligations, particularly purchase of all the missing machines and equipment, repair of replacement of the defective equipment and finalizing its relationships with the supplier company according to the contract. The second party will also bear the costs of the required employees, technicians and labor during the rehabilitation and re-start process in addition to the costs of purchase of dates and operational requirements during the same period. The second party undertakes, as well, to develop a receiving policy according to the standards elaborated by the first party.

The letter of intent stipulates that the letter is valid as from the date of signing it and till takeover of the dates factory and for a single non-renewable term.

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Published by the Secretariat General of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation…

A New Featured Issue of the Blessed Tree Magazine…

The Secretariat General of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation published a new and featured issue of the “Blessed Tree” magazine which concerns date palm sector and related industries and earns the patronage of H.H Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development and President of the Board of Trustees of the Award.

The new issue of the magazine included a lot of news, studies and reports related to date palm and the agricultural sector in addition to a featured number of photos of the date pam tree.

The issue coincided with the proclamation ceremony of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation at the Emirates Palace on the 15th of March instant in the presence and under the auspices of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

The magazine published the decree issued by H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (God protects Him) concerning Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, the categories of the award, its prizes and its board of trustees as provided in the decree.

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Published by the Secretariat General of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation…

A New Featured Issue of the Blessed Tree Magazine…

The Secretariat General of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation published a new and featured issue of the “Blessed Tree” magazine which concerns date palm sector and related industries and earns the patronage of H.H Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development and President of the Board of Trustees of the Award.

The new issue of the magazine included a lot of news, studies and reports related to date palm and the agricultural sector in addition to a featured number of photos of the date pam tree.

The issue coincided with the proclamation ceremony of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation at the Emirates Palace on the 15th of March instant in the presence and under the auspices of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

The magazine published the decree issued by H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (God protects Him) concerning Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, the categories of the award, its prizes and its board of trustees as provided in the decree.

The issue, published in both Arabic and English, covered the activities and participations of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation in many local and international events including, among others, the Award’s participations in the Fourth Date Palm Exhibition, Abu Dhabi International Date Palm Exhibition, Erfoud International Date Show in Morocco, Emirates International Date Palm Festival and Liwa Rutab and Ajman Rutab Festivals in addition to a special folder about the Award’s organization and sponsorship of the First Egyptian Date Palm Festival at Siwa.

The issue contained, as well, a special folder about Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid, the Secretary General of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, on the occasion of granting him the title”FAO - UN Goodwill Ambassador in the United Arab Emirates”.

The magazine also published the results of “Date Palm in the Eyes of the World” photography competition, organized by the Award in cooperation with Abu Dhabi International Photography Society with the names of the winners and the top three winner photos in its seventh session.

The issue included also many valuable scientific researches and studies on development of date palm sector in both Arabic and English. The magazine published a research by Prof. Samir Al Shaker entitled “Dates and High Fructose Sugars”, a study entitled “Date Palm Trees Between Degradation and Valuation Attempts in Morocco” by Prof. Abdulaziz Bu Yehyawee, and “Bahrain Date Palm in the Gulf Directory” by Prof. Ali Afifi in addition to many other studies and researches in English and which are considered a quality addition within the scope of the researches intended to develop date palm sector.

In his foreword of the issue, entitled “Thank you Khalifa”, H.H Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, President of the Board of Trustees of the Award and Honorary Chairman of the Magazine, stressed that Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, which came as an honor from our father, H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates(God protects Him), to emphasize his keenness, patronage and unlimited support of the agricultural sector, in general, and date palm tree, in particular. The Award confirms, as well, his interest in development of scientific research and the studies and experiments of agricultural innovation, in line with the vision and future outlooks of Abu Dhabi government of diversification of income sources and concentration on the agricultural sector as a pillar and important source of food, income and economic renaissance.

His Highness said” H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (God protects Him) has realized the nutritional, economic, social and heritage importance of the

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agricultural sector and followed the trail of the Late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan (God’s mercy) and rendered great attention to this sector. He directed that it is necessary to bring this sector up to broader horizons and underlined the necessity to overcome all the obstacles to fulfill this approach. He (God protects Him) ordered to harness all the modern techniques and advanced technology tools of this age for achievement of development and growth at the level of agricultural innovation and care of the date palm tree as an important nutritional element closely linked to our inveterate heritage and social habits”.

He also emphasized in his foreword that The United Arab Emirates has achieved leadership in the field of agricultural innovation and date palm, thanks to the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (God protects Him), the great attention of H.H Sheikh Mohamad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Higher Commander of the Armed Forces and close follow-up and interest of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

H.H Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak added that We shall spare no effort to contribute to the construction and development process through Khalifa International Award of Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation in order to maintain the leadership of this award in line with the prestige and nobility of the Award’s owner and sponsor, H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (God protects Him). He stressed that the noble targets of this blessed Award will only be achieved by concentrating efforts and sincere work. We are confident that the fellow researchers and experts and those interested in agricultural

innovation and date palm around the world would provide researches aVnd studies to promote advancement of this sector and upgrade it to better future horizons.

For his part; Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid, the Secretary General of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation and the General Supervisor of the

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“Blessed Tree Magazine”, and in his editorial, entitled “Khalifa Honorable Deeds and Visions are Our Inspiration and Causes of Our Success”, expressed pride and honor of what has been done over eight years through Khalifa International Date Palm Award. This Award has achieved great accomplishments and successes and left obvious imprints on development of date palm production, processing and marketing sector and at all local, Arab and international levels, thanks to the kind patronage of the Award’s owner and sponsor, H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (God protects Him), the attention of H.H Sheikh Mohamad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Higher Commander of the Armed Forces, follow-up of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and the directives of H.H Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, President of the Award’s Board of Trustees.

He added that H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (God protects Him) has envisioned, through his profound vision and future outlook, the significance of the date palm tree and agricultural innovation for development and growth of this sector, advancement of creativity, progress and innovation in it through purposeful and constructive researches and studies to upgrade this sector and increase the productivity of all crops and, thus, to contribute to bridging the world need for food, with which a lot of governments and countries have been preoccupied while the world is witnessing droughts and conflicts causing decline of agriculture and poor production and their impacts on the global food security. Therefore; it is required to create new mechanisms and to elaborate constructive studies and pioneering innovations in order to guarantee development of this sector and its access to better levels through motivation of experts, researchers and growers to contribute with their ideas and pilot projects to guarantee achievement of such targets.

Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid said: “We are optimistic and hopeful that we shall realize great achievements for the agricultural sector through this pioneering award. The constant support of Ministry of Presidential affairs, as based on the directives of H.H Sheik Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, will provide the Award with the incentive to innovate, succeed and work hard to harness all resources for development of the agricultural sector.

Furthermore; the support and follow-up of H.H Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture and Community Development and President of the Award’s Board of Trustees, will encourage and motivate all the Award’s staff to exert the best efforts for the Award to achieve accomplishments and successes up to the prestige and nobility of the Award’s owner and patron, H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (God protects him), inspired in all our work by his visions, ideas and honorable deeds, God protects Him.

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Award Statistics 2009 - 2015

Total Number of Participants

Arabic Countries

Foreign Countries

99

Mauritania

Yemen

Bahrain

Kuwait

Oman

Qatar

Tunisia

Palestine

Sudan

Algeria

Libya

Somalia

Iran

Iraq

Lebanon

Morocco

Syria

Egypt

KSA

UAE

DistinguishedProducer

The Best NewTechnique

The Best Development

Projectt

DistinguishedFigure

Srilanka

China

Denmark

Bosnia

Bangladesh

Pakistan

Canada

Erteria

Japan

Australia

Iran

Poland

Italy

India

Sweden

France

UK

USA

Excellent& Research

Study

Number ofCategories

ParticipatedCountries

Participants

100Third Winner - Competition Date Palm through the eyes of the world - the seventh sessionEman El Tokhy

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Chapter ThreeHarvest

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Nahayan Mabarak: the Award is a new brick that will make a quality leap in terms of agricultural Innovation and development of date palm sector…

Under the patronage of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahayan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, and in the presence of H.H Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development and President of the Board of Trustees of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation and a number of their highnesses Sheikhs, top officials and representatives of the diplomatic corps in the United Arab Emirates with a crowd of Arab and International media, at the Emirates Palace Hotel, for proclamation of Khalifa International Date Palm Award and Agricultural Innovation which was established by a federal decree by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of UAE (God protects him).

At the beginning of the ceremony, H.H Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development and President of the Board of Trustees of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation,delivered a speech, in which he announced launching of Khalifa

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International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation which came as an honor from H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan , President of the United Arab Emirates (God protects Him), to emphasize his interest and patronage of the agricultural sector, in general, and date palm, in particular as well as his numerous contributions to development of this sector and his great support to it.

He then emphasized that His Highness’ white hands in this sector are beyond counting or enumeration. The agricultural boost achieved during the reign of His Highness (God protects Him) is the best evidence of his care and interest after his guidance to harness all capabilities to serve the agricultural sector and farmers until this sector has become one of the most important pillars of the national economy.H.H Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak added that this unique scientific award, honored by holding the name of our father H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed AL Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, the leader of its march and builder of its renaissance (God protects Him), would add a new brick, create a quality leap and inaugurate a new phase at the level of agricultural innovation and development of date palm sector atthe Arab and international levels through contributions and participations by elite scientists, experts, growers and researchers at the world’s level and which will work on development of this sector and upgrade it to yet larger and broader horizons.

His Highness said: “Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation has come to complement the march of Khalifa International Date Palm Award which was launched in 2007 and achieved, over eight years, great development and a lot of accomplishments up to the ambitions and hopes. Through its multiple activities, the Award created a qualitative leap in the agricultural and

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date palm sector to become a milestone in the world of awards and exhibition industry and to occupy a leading position as the first specialized scientific award at the world’s level. It managed to attract the most important researchers, experts, scholars, academics and growers of date palm and those interested in the blessed tree at both Arab and international levels.

H.H President of the Board of Trustees emphasized that the Award has achieved such success and leadership thanks to the patronage of the Award’s owner and patron H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan , President of the United Arab Emirates (God protects Him), in addition to the great support of H.H. Sheikh Mohamad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Higher Commander of the Armed Forces and follow-up and attention of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential affairs.

His Highness also said: “Today, and through this new award, we are setting out with confident and constructive steps based on well-established and firm foundations and inspired by and following the example of the approach of the founding father Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan (God rests his soul in peace) who rendered great attention to the agricultural sector and during whose reign this sector witnessed great developments and a wide renaissance. He (God rests his soul in peace) considered agriculture the title of civilization and a main reason of progress and prosperity and a pillar of the economy of modern state. He (God rests his soul in peace) stressed same when he said: “Give me agriculture and I will guarantee civilization for you”. With determination, wisdom and will, he managed to overpower difficulties and overcome obstacles to change desert into a green paradise. The Emirates successful experience at the agricultural level has thus become an example to be followed worldwide.”

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His Highness pointed out that the presence of an elite group of directors of the biggest international organizations involved in agricultural sector and agricultural innovation and their attendance of our todays’ ceremony, is a recognition and appreciation of the efforts of the United Arab Emirates and its achievements in the field of innovation and development of the agricultural sector and its great support of this sector at the Arab and international levels under the wise leadership of H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (God protects Him).

He emphasized, as well, that Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation is a generous initiative in line with the vision of future Abu Dhabi of diversification of income sources and emphasizing the economic importance of the agricultural sector and keeps pace with the qualitative development the United Arab Emirates is witnessing in all sectors. It also enhances UAE leading position as a global center of innovation and stimulation of creative minds to provide creative agricultural innovations towards finding solutions assisting in facing challenges and overcoming the barriers and obstacles to work out the best means for development of the agricultural sector. It also indicates that innovation is limitless and no difficulties could hinder the human mind from being creative or investment of the human resources which contribute to upgrading of all aspects of the human society.

His Highness, then, expressed hope that Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation would contribute to finding solutions and outlets for many of the problems the agricultural sector is suffering so as to ensure achievement of the highest productivity standards of all agricultural crops and to contribute to providing food to the greatest number of the world population.

H.H Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan concluded his speech by expressing hope that the Award would earn unique and outstanding participations that would contribute to handling of the problems from which the agricultural sector is suffering, harnessing of modern science and advanced technology in order to achieve the highest standards of growth, development and innovation so as to ensure continuation of sustainable development policy, promotion of the exchanged experiences in projects serving humanity in line with the environmental protection programs and climatic changes, fulfillment of the green economy equation, extension of the green areas and control of desertification and in line, as well, with the strategic, nutritional and heritage significance and to keep pace with the comprehensive renaissance the United Arab Emirates is witnessing in all areas and in line with its future visions and plans of diversification of the income sources and dependence on diversified resources and investments, where the agricultural sector consists a cornerstone.

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José Graziano: the UN Agriculture and Food Organization “FAO” is proud of the expanded cooperation with the United Arb Emirates

H.E José Graziano da Silva, Director General of the United Nation Agriculture and Food Organization “FAO” delivered a speech in which he stressed that FAO is looking forward to constant cooperation with Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation. He also pointed out that the Award has attracted the most important researchers, experts, growers and those interested in development of date palm sector. The Award has also occupied a prominent position worldwide as the first and most prestigious scientific award in the field of date palm and related industries.

His Excellency added: “The award has been renamed this year to become Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation and has a wider scope than ever, covering thereby a range of agricultural innovations. He further explained that the Award has been now designed in order to focus on research and stimulation of innovation to meet the future food needs of the world.

He also said:” The United Arab Emirates has already achieved the first of the Millennium Developmental Goals, namely that concerning reduction of hunger and succeeded in maintaining malnutrition at levels lower than 5% since 1990. The United Arab Emirates has also sustained its position as the largest donor of foreign aids in the world. He, then, emphasized that Food and Agriculture Organization is proud of expanded cooperation with the United Arab Emirates and appreciates the government’s commitment to continued support of the activities of the Sub-Regional Office of FAO in the Gulf Cooperation Council and Yemen, based in Abu Dhabi.

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Al Soleh: The United Arab Emirates is now a magnet of agricultural specialists, innovators and investors

H.E Dr. Mohammad Mahmoud Al-Soleh, Director General of International Centre for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA) delivered a speech in which he pointed out the great efforts of the of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan (God rests his soul in peace) and his interest in agriculture and environment. He added that some estimates suggest planting between 100 and 150 million trees during his reign, God’s mercy. He also praised the efforts of H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (God protects Him), during whose reign the agricultural sector, in general, and date palm tree, in particular, received major attention and special care and Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation was one of his honors in this area.

His Excellency said: “Providing adequate amounts of safe food to feed a growing world population is one of the biggest challenges facing the international community at the present time. Food and agriculture sector plays a vital and central role in eradication of hunger and poverty, necessitating thereby reliance on modern technology and innovation to reduce the effects of the current agricultural practices and climatic change which overweigh the natural resources.”

He stressed that the United Arab Emirates is now a magnet of agricultural specialists, innovators and investors, thanks to its organization of many international events and exhibitions concerned with development of production and agricultural innovation.

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During the ceremony, a number of international organizations and individuals interested in agricultural innovation were Honored

His Highness honored H.E Dr. Rashed Ahmad Bin Fahed, Minister of State; H.E Dr. José Graziano da Silva, Director General of the United Nation Agriculture and Food Organization “FAO”; H.E Dr. Ali Rashed Al Nuaimi, University of the United Arab Emirates, Khalifa Center of Bio-technology and Genetic engineering; H.E Dr. Mohammad Mahmoud Al-Suleh, Director General of International Centre for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas; H.E Dr. Asmahan AlWafi, Director General of the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture and H.E Dr. Salem Al Lawzi, ex. Director General of the Arab Organization of Agricultural Development.

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Commemorative postal stamp …

The Secretariat General of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation presented the commemorative postal stamp issued by Emirates Post on the occasion of the Award’s launching. The stamp bears the picture of the Award’s owner and patron, H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (God protects Him), and the Award’s logo and is now available in all outlets and branches of Emirates Post.

Photography Exhibition…

At the end of the ceremony, the guests made a tour in “Date Palm in World Eye’’ photography exhibition, where the winner and featured photos of the 7th Session of “Date Palm in World Eye” Competition, organized by Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation within the events aiming at development of date palm sector.

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Hon

ored

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His Excellency Dr. Rashid Ahmed Mohammed Bin Fahad

Minister of State, UAE

His Excellency Dr. Rashid Ahmad Mohammed Bin Fahad was appointed as the Minister of State in 10th February 2016. He was born in Dubai 1964. In addition to his ministerial duties, Bin Fahad holds the position of Chairman of the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (ESMA) since 2008.

Bin Fahad obtained a Ph. D. in civil engineering (Environment health) from the University of Strathclyde, Scotland (UK) in 2001. He also holds Master’s Degree (Ms. Sc.) in Environmental Science from the UAE University-Al Ain (1994), and a Bachelor degree (B. Sc.) in chemical engineering from the Northeastern University, Boston-USA in1989.

His Excellency has also filled the position of the Minister of Environment & Water February 2008- February 2016. Secretary General for the GCC Standardization Organization-Riyadh (KSA) from 2004 - 2008, he was also the Deputy Manager of the Emirates Authority for Standardization & Metrology (ESMA) from 2001-2004.

Bin Fahad was the Head of Food and Environment Lab at the Dubai Central Lab Department of Dubai Municipality from 1997 to 2001. From 1989 - 1997 worked as process engineer at Dubai Municipality.

His Excellency is also a member of the Zayed International Prize for the Environment. A member of the Governing Council of the International American Society for testing and materials by (ASTM Int’l)

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Food and Agriculture Organization

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is an agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and debate policy.

FAO is also a source of knowledge and information, and helps developing countries and countries in transition modernize and improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries practices, ensuring good nutrition and food security for all. Its Latin motto, fiat panis, translates as “let there be bread”. As of 8 August 2013, FAO has 194 member states, along with the European Union, and the Faroe Islands and Tokelau, which are associate members.

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International Institute for Agricultural InvestmentItalian Republic

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to eradicating rural poverty in developing countries. It was established as an international financial institution in 1977 as one of the major outcomes of the 1974 World Food Conference. Seventy-five percent of the world’s poor live in rural areas in developing countries, yet only 4% of official development assistance goes to agriculture.

The strategic policy of IFAD is detailed in Strategic Framework for IFAD 2011–2015: Enabling the Rural Poor to Overcome Poverty. Its headquarters is in Rome, Italy, and is a member of the United Nations Development Group

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Khalifa Center for Genetic Engineeringand Biotechnology

The United Arab Emirates University established Khalifa Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology as an endeavor to achieve excellence in scientific research and provide solutions to major agricultural, food security, and environmental challenges facing the world. His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, and Minister of Presidential Affairs inaugurated the Center on March 2014. Khalifa Center is one of its kind in the United Arab Emirates and nurtures a scientific and educational ambience that is favorable to discoveries and innovations. It encompasses plant genetic engineering, genome editing, and researches oriented toward understanding the genetic and physiological mechanisms responsible for plant tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. The Center houses comprehensive units for molecular biology and genetic engineering researches in addition to a fully-equipped laboratories for tissue regeneration and propagation. The center’s facilities expand to field evaluation and applications. The Center is also affiliated to Genomic and bioinformatics unit. Khalifa Center aims at providing solution to the grand challenges of agriculture and relevant environmental issues for achieving sustainability in agro-production. The Center strives to support the strategic vision for integrative agriculture approach of the country. The Center aims to ensure the visibility and the leadership of the country in scientific research globally. Khalifa Center provides the framework for molecular research that is the crux of all research work in the field of integrative plant science and agriculture. The center has established expertise in molecular biology, transgenic experiments, physiological studies, genomic, and bioinformatics. The integrative approach of the center is to ensure not only the discovery of new traits and genes in the plants, but also to study their functions and design new traits that makes plants amenable to flourish in stressful environment. The center is housing a searchable genomic database that provides scientists a tool for gene discovery as well as provide training in the field genomic and bioinformatics for our partners. The Center is keen to molecularly classify the diversity of plants native to the United Arab Emirates and the region. This is an important project for regeneration of the plants from tissue culture in the laboratories. Furthermore, the center aim to contribute to the global scientific committee an enhanced and/or new methodologies to produce plants that flourishes under biotic and abiotic stresses. Information generated in the Center will be conveyed to the society through publications, collaboration, and scientific meeting.

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The International Center for Agriculture Research in the Dry Areas

The International Center for Agriculture Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), a member of the CGIAR, supported by the CGIAR Fund, is a non-profit agricultural research for development institute that aims to improve the livelihoods of the resource-poor across the world’s dry areas.

ICARDA has been temporarily headquartered in Beirut, Lebanon, since leaving Aleppo, Syria, in 2012. Support is provided by research centers and offices in Jordan, Morocco, Ethiopia, Egypt, Tunisia, Turkey, Afghanistan, India, Iran, Oman, Pakistan, Sudan, Uzbekistan, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

Established in 1977, ICARDA’s origins lie in a 1973 study that highlighted the food security challenges faced by countries across the dry regions of the Near East and North Africa. ICARDA research activities include the development of new crop varieties, water harvesting, conservation agriculture, the diversification of production systems, integrated crop/rangeland/livestock production systems, and the empowerment of rural women.

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International Center for Biosaline AgricultureUnited Arab Emirates

International Center for Biosaline Agriculture - ICBA is an international, non-profit agricultural research center. Established in 1999, the center carries out applied research and development programs focused on improving agricultural productivity and sustainability in marginal and saline environments.

ICBA takes innovation as a core principle and adopts a multi-pronged approach to addressing the closely linked challenges of ensuring water, environment, income, and food security. ICBA’s research innovations focus on the assessment of natural resources, climate change adaptation, crop productivity and diversification, aquaculture and bio-energy and policy analysis. The center contributes to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals by working on a number of technological developments, including the use of conventional and non-conventional water (such as saline, treated wastewater, industrial water, agricultural drainage, and seawater); water and land management technologies and remote sensing and modeling for climate change adaptation.

Improving the generation and dissemination of knowledge is one of ICBA’s strategic objectives. The center is focused on establishing itself as a knowledge hub on sustainable management and use of marginal resources for agricultural production and environmental protection in marginal environments. Supported by its partners, ICBA innovates, builds human capital, and encourages the learning that is fundamental for change.

Much of our innovative applied research work is supported by three core donors: the Ministry of Water and Environment of the United Arab Emirates, the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi, and the Islamic Development Bank. We gratefully acknowledge their support as well as the support of many other donor agencies that have contributed to our efforts over the years.

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H.D. Dr. Salem AlloziFormer Director General of AOAD

Jordanian, Born in 1941Address: P.o.Box 10 Aljubieha 11941,Jordan Mobile: 00962795202226E-mail :Salemallozi@hotmail.com

Education

PHD in Natural Resources Management and Development ( Land use planning ) Colorado State University USA,1976.

Experiences

− Director general of Arab Organization for agricultural development AOAD2001 - 2009.

− During his post as director general of AOAD Create several agricultureexperiment stations in some Arab States (UAE, KSA, Qatar, Egypt, and Morocco Concentrate in pets and diseases effecting the date palm trees

− ChiefeditorofagricultureanddevelopmentmagazineintheArabregion.− Supervisedandparticipated in thepreparationof thestrategyofsustainable

Arab Agricultural Development for the upcoming two decades 2005-2025 Approved in the Riyadh Arab Summit 2007.

− Participatedinlargememberofinternationalregional,andArabconferencesworkshops and seminars in the field of agriculture, water and environment

− Supervisedandparticipated in thepreparationof theArab emergency foodsecurity program which was approved in the Arab Social and economic summit which was held in Kuwait state 2009.

− Obtain Several awards and medals from international, regional, ArabOrganization.

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